Fireside Diaries
by Freedom Fighter
Summary: Isabella and the Fireside Girls have plenty of adventures themselves, even when Phineas and Ferb aren't around. The future of Troop 46231 is in the balance! Spring is fast approaching, and while the question of who will lead them is still up in the air, another issue looms on the horizon... grade school graduation! (This week's episode: "Ship")
1. Welcome to the Fireside Diaries

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So the "Fireside Diaries" have finally arrived! This series will be used to bridge the gaps between the cartoon itself, as well as my many other Fireside Girls stories. The good news is that if you've never read any of those stories, you can still read this without getting lost. In the rare cases that you do need to know something from a past story, I'll forewarn you all the start of that particular entry.

This pilot, though, only requires knowledge of the cartoon. So sit back and enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>Isabella was sitting at the desk in her room late at night, typing away on her laptop. She was working on the introductory entry to a blog her Fireside Girls troop was starting up for their website. Her voice could be heard in the background, reading aloud every word that was being put onto the screen.<p>

_Entry #000 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_Greetings, Fireside followers!_

_If you're reading this, that means our newest endeavor has gone live! I, Isabella, along with the rest of the members of Troop 46231, based in Danville, are making history! For the first time ever, you'll get to see what it's like to be a Fireside Girl! It is designed to not only keep troop members of the past updated on what we're doing, but also opens access to girls both now and in the future, who are considering or will be considering joining our troop! But it is also designed to keep the three F's involved in everything we do, no matter what it is: family, friends, and fans. The girls and I plan to hold nothing back. This blog will cover all of our triumphs, as well as all of our tribulations. Each of us has some great tales to tell. Some have happy endings, some do not. But we think all of them provide great insight on what it's like to be a Fireside Girl, both during troop functions and in regular life._

_For this introductory entry into the "Fireside Diaries," we need to go back to last summer, when the idea was first concocted at one of our weekly troop meetings..._

**-**  
><strong>Entry #000 [FSD101] - Welcome to the Fireside Diaries (07.21.1103.20.12)**  
><strong>-<strong>

The entire troop was sitting inside their lodge, nestled in amongst the skyscrapers of Downtown Danville, going over what they accomplished in the week since the last meeting. But all they could think about was...

"I can't believe we flew above Danville in a giant bubble yesterday!" cried Milly. "It was beyond belief!"

"Seems improbable considering all of our combined masses," noted Holly, "but that maracanut tree sap really held up well!"

"We really need to find a way to thank Phineas," Isabella said aloud. "Any ideas?"

After a few seconds, Katie raised her hand.

"How 'bout a scrapbook? We can all contribute, and each have our say in our thoughts about our trip over Danville!"

"Great idea! Get on that right away!"

* * *

><p>Two days later, in the Flynn-Fletcher house...<p>

"Isabella, this is amazing!"

Phineas now had the finished product in hand, thanks to Isabella bringing it to him first thing that very morning, at breakfast. Ferb was content from peeking in from the side, letting his more outspoken brother heap all the praise.

"You captured every detail of our adventure, from your trip to the Old Abandoned Old Abandoned Amusement Park, to our safe landing back in the park! Incredible!"

Isabella went starry-eyed. "You really think so? We made it especially for you!"

Phineas looked over at his brother, and suddenly an idea popped into his head.

"Ferb! I know what we're gonna do today! Why not mass produce this scrapbook so everyone can live out one of great summer adventures without having to be there?"

"Darn!" Isabella cursed in her mind. "I wanted it to be a memento for Phineas alone! I didn't insist on all of those pictures of the two of us together for nothing!"

"Isabella!" Phineas snapped her out of her daydream turned wrong. "Didn't you say you're always looking for more girls to join your troop? You can use it as a marketing tool!"

"I never even thought of that! That's a great idea, Phineas!"

_And so, a big idea was born..._

* * *

><p>No less than half an hour later, the boys' backyard was a buzz with activity, as it had been changed into a printing plant. Along with the rest of the troop as well as Buford and Baljeet, the group quickly created 5,000 copies of the scrapbook, but in a smaller, more pocket-sized form, with glossy pages and fancy type being used to maintain quality. The cover was also changed to something simpler, promising all readers a glimpse into a day as a Fireside Girl.<p>

Once finished, they all split into pairs to distribute the books across the tri-state area. Isabella and Gretchen had picked a street corner in the business district to pass our their wares.

* * *

><p><em>The results became apparent almost immediately! Nine new girls were present at the next troop meeting for an in-person look at what we were all about, as well as to begin initiations for those interested in joining afterwards.<em>

"I can't remember ever seeing this many girls at the lodge," counted off Adyson as she and Isabella watched the others work to get the new recruits to join. "We'll double our size easy!

"Even if we only get three of them to sign," Isabella noted, "Troop 46231 hasn't had double-digit membership since 1987!"

Isabella then led over Adyson to the lodge's mail bin, which to the latter's surprise, had two to three dozen envelopes in it.

"And word is spreading about our books! There's at least three troops in other states that have been thinking about making similar pamphlets in their respective areas, and they want to use ours as a model! We've also been getting offers from Fireside alumni who used to be part of our troop and they want some books, too."

Adyson grabbed a few of the envelopes, and read their return addresses.

"New York. Texas. Alaska. Barcelona. And... even Timbuktu?"

"It's exciting, isn't it? I never dreamed our little scrapbook of one afternoon with Phineas would become so popular!"

"Well..." hesitated Adyson, "I suppose the new membership would give us more hands to handle a new mass order of books..."

"That's the spirit! Who knows? In a few months, we could be the largest Fireside Girls troop this side of the Mississippi!"

"Sure! But..."

Isabella glared at Adyson. "What do you mean but?"

"It's already been a week! Our material is already old hat! We need new adventures to keep the populace and possible recruits interested! We need...

"To spend more time with Phineas?"

Adyson nodded.

"I love the way you think, Addy!"

* * *

><p><em>But after a few weeks, it became apparent that Adyson's idea was too cost-prohibitive to maintain with our small operation and the limited time we had. Even Phineas and Ferb couldn't find a way to reduce our production costs to any sort of reasonable level. The final nail in the coffin was the end of the summer. With school starting back up, the amount of free time we had to create new pamphlets, much less participate in activities that could be used as inspiration for them, dwindled to near zero. We had no choice but to shut it down.<em>

_Our membership peaked at an even three dozen in mid-August, with more than half of us full-time members. At year's end, that number was cut exactly in half. And only me and the other six core girls still participate enough in our activities to be considered full-time._

_By the time April rolled around, we found ourselves in danger to dropping back down to our original membership..._

* * *

><p>The girls were approaching the end of another weekly meeting, with this being the first in nearly a year in which only the core seven were present.<p>

"Finally," Isabella said despondently, "open floor time. If anyone wants to bring up any new issues or ideas, please come up to the podium."

Isabella glanced around the room and the glum faces in it, completely expecting everyone to pass on the offer... for the seventh straight time. That is, until both Gretchen and Katie stood up.

"May we, Chief?" Gretchen asked for permission to take the podium.

Isabella nodded, then took a seat with the others. Gretchen brought her laptop up with her, while Katie seemed to have a book in hand. A familiar one...

"Isn't that..." Isabella started to say.

Katie held it up high to confirm Isabella's suspicions. It was her copy of the first book they made, detailing their Big Bubble adventure.

"We can't do that again!" Adyson exclaimed. "It was fun, sure, but it was too much work **AND** the printing costs were astronomical!"

"I had to start my college fund from scratch because of that!" Holly reminded them, the books a mistake she wished she had not invested in.

"Never fear, my fellow Fireside Girls!" Gretchen assured them. "Me and Katie have found a way to not only resume informing the general public about our amazing escapades, but to distribute it for cheap without sacrificing quality!"

Gretchen typed in an Internet address as Katie pulled down the projector screen. Gretchen aimed a remote control at a projector hanging from the ceiling, and once it turned on, the others were presented with a live image of the troop's website.

"Wait!" Milly raised her hand. "I didn't even know we **HAD** a website!"

"It was mandated organization-wide last summer. I never told you all about it... because all I put on it was basic contact info. I could never figure out a good purpose for it. Until now..."

"Our idea," Katie said as she took over the presentation, "is to turn the website into a mini-blog! We take turns writing daily entries, and we post them online for the world to see afterwards!"

"No production costs, no shipping costs, the freedom for anyone to add entries at our leisure..."

"**I'VE HEARD ENOUGH!**" Isabella yelled, jumping out of her seat.

Gretchen and Katie gulped. They were afraid their leader hated the idea. But it was quite the opposite, as Isabella faced the rest of the troop with an ecstatic smile on her face.

"Let's put it to a vote, girls! All those in favor, say I!"

"I!" everyone in the room exclaimed, without hesitation.

"Motion passed! The Adventures of the Fireside Girls lives on!"

Everyone cheered with glee, and Gretchen and Katie high-fived each other for a job well done.

* * *

><p>Back in present time, in Isabella's room...<p>

_...and that's the tale of how the "Fireside Diaries" came to be! We can't wait for you to hear all the tales we have to tell! We also can't wait to hear what you think of them! Thanks for reading, and I now officially declare the "Fireside Diaries" unlocked!_

_Bye for now!_  
><em>- Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, leader of Fireside Girls Troop 46231<em>

Upon finishing, Isabella took a deep breath, did a once-over, then prepared the document to be sent to Gretchen via e-mail.

"Tomorrow's gonna be the start of a new era!"

She sent the document off, with a message flashing 'Message sent' confirming it on-screen. Isabella then got up, turned off the lights, and went to bed.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Don't go anywhere... a second entry follows very shortly!<p> 


	2. The Wrong Kind of Discount

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So here's another new installment of the "Fireside Diaries," and this one stars Ginger! Doing something unbecoming of a Fireside Girl...

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>Ginger was pulling a small cart, one filled with large boxes of candy that each carried anywhere from a dozen to 40 small, sale-size boxes, bags, or paper- or foil-wrapped bars. One at a time, she was removing old, near-empty boxes, and replacing them with new ones.<p>

_Entry #246 - Written by Ginger_

_The Fireside Girls are looked up to as role models for girls our age. You know, ones they can directly emulate, and whose actions are proven as appropriate by adults. But we aren't perfect. We are prone to making bad decisions... and we regularly do. But the idea is that we're supposed to learn from our mistakes and not repeat them._

_The tale I'm about to tell you involves me making a decision that I'm regretting now, and certainly will for years to come. By reading this entry, hopefully you'll learn from me and not do what I did! Or else you'll be spending your Sunday doing what I'm doing right now._

**-**  
><strong>Entry #246 [FSD104] - The Wrong Kind of Discount (07.21.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_It all started a few Saturdays ago..._

Isabella was leading the girls into a convenience store. Once they were clear of the doors, the group went their separate ways, some already with an idea of what they wanted to get, while others decided to wildly browse and hope that something stuck out to them. One of those in the latter category was Ginger.

She walked right by Milly and Katie, the former of which had a triangular-shaped long box in hand that she was suggesting to the latter.

Ginger kept walking, and moved on to the next aisle. She walked up to Adyson, who was staring intensely at a box that had a caramel-covered apple in it.

"It's still healthy because I'm eating an apple, right?" Adyson asked rhetorically.

Ginger shrugged her shoulders, then continued on. She continued her tour of the aisles, with nothing really popping out to her. That is, until an endcap display caught her attention.

"'The Ultra-Amazing-Sweet Granola Bar!'" she read it aloud. "'Tastes good to kids **AND** approved by members of the American Parents Association of Healthy Eating!' Sounds like... **THE BEST THING EVER!**"

She grabbed one bar off of the right side of the display and read what was in it. She stuck her tongue out upon reading what flavor it was.

"Tofu? **BLECH!**"

She put it back and grabbed one from the left side. This one was marked 'honey-flavored.'

"That's better!"

She flipped it over and saw the price tag on it read 95 cents. She reached into her pocket...

_And that's when I came to a startling realization..._

"No! I forgot to bring my allowance!"

Ginger quickly glanced around the store, looking for help. She saw Holly, then Isabella, and lastly, Gretchen.

"I can't ask any of them! I owe all of them money already!"

She searched for other options. She ran to the window, and saw Milly already in the car, having made her purchase, and Katie on her way there with hers. Ginger then saw the meter on the gas pump Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro was using climb past 35 dollars.

"She's almost done! Gotta hurry..."

Ginger was down to one option, and she found her where she had last seen her. Still in front of the caramel apples - but not for long, as she had plucked one of the shelf and was about to head for the register.

"Adyson!"

Adyson stopped and turned to face Ginger as the Asian girl ran up to her.

"Adyson! I need to borrow some money!"

"Can't. I only have enough money to buy this."

She held it up for Ginger to see the price tag. It read $2.25.

"Couldn't you get something... cheaper?"

Adyson frowned. "Why would I do that?"

With that, Adyson walked off. Ginger lowered her head and made the slow trek back to the display to return the bar. But upon getting there, she suddenly got a new idea. She peeked around the corner and saw that the clerk was busy ringing up the rest of the girls. Ginger took a deep breath, then did the unthinkable.

She slipped the bar into the right side of her uniform. The top half stuck out of the top of her skirt, so she covered that portion by untucking her shirt and leaving it hanging out. She then casually made her way to door, making it look as if she had bought nothing at all. She got outside, noticed that the clerk was still behind the counter, and breathed a sigh of relief. She walked to the car and joined Milly and Katie in waiting for the others inside. A minute later, the others piled into the car, and Isabella's mom hopped in to continue the drive to where the girls were going today.

* * *

><p>Soon after, Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro dropped the girls off at a public self-storage facility, where they had volunteered to help a friend of the family move a bunch of extraneous stuff into a storage unit. They first walked over to a portable mini-fridge, which had been brought for them to store their food. Ginger quickly pulled her granola bar out and slipped it into Holly's bag without her noticing. The others placed their bags inside, and then they all walked over to meet their clients - a couple in their 70s.<p>

"Thanks for letting us help you so we can get our Movers' Apprentice Patches, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis!" Isabella thanked them in advance.

"You're welcome, dear," Mrs. Lewis said in response.

"We're just happy to see that kids like you are still willing to assist us elderly folk," Mr. Lewis told them.

"No problem! So, what are we moving?"

Mr. Lewis snapped his fingers, and two moving trucks backed into the alley. They came to a stop, and then their roll-up doors rose to reveal boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations. There were three adult movers there to handle the really heavy stuff, but it was up to the girls to take care of the rest.

"Just think of it as Christmas in July!" Isabella told her troop. "In... March. It'll be fun!"

* * *

><p>One hour later, all of the girls were exhausted and aching in pain. Most of them were lying on the pavement, with the exception of Adyson and Isabella, both of whom were draped over a couple boxes that had been taken out of the truck but had not been put in the garage yet.<p>

"It'll be fun, she says," quoted Adyson, in a sarcastic tone.

"Thanks, girls," Mrs. Lewis said, pointing out the fact that one truck was now completely empty and the other only a quarter-full. "Why don't you all take a break?"

They all took her up on her offer and went over to the mini-fridge to get what they had bought from the store. Ginger got there last, and was aghast when she saw that all of the bags had been claimed. To make matters worst, she had forgotten whose bag she had dropped her stolen bar in.

"Oh no," Ginger said in a panic. "If someone pulls out my bar, they'll know for sure I stole it!"

Ginger closed her eyes, not wanting to watch as the others sat down on the ground and pulled their purchases out. All she could do is wait for someone to ask the inevitable question...

"Hey... I don't remember buying this!"

Ginger opened her eyes back up, and joined everyone in looking over at Holly, who was the one who made the remark - and was the one holding up the honey-flavored Ultra-Amazing-Sweet Granola Bar.

"I surely would've remembered getting this," Holly said out loud before holding it up to the others. "Did one of you buy it and accidentally slip it in my bag?"

Everyone shook their heads in denial, including Ginger.

"Girls!" they heard Mr. Lewis shout to them. "Could you help me with something?"

The girls, all having not yet opened up their treats, placed everything on the ground, then walked over to see what was up.

"I know my wife sent you on break, but can I get you girls to help rearrange a couple things real fast?"

"Sure!" agreed Isabella.

She then turned to Ginger.

"Ginger, could you go back and keep an eye on our snacks?"

Ginger smiled. This was her chance to get rid of the evidence.

"You got it, Chief!"

She ran off from the group. Upon reaching their makeshift 'snack picnic' spot, she gathered up all the treats, making sure to put them all in their respective bags. That is, except for her granola bar, which she clenched in her left hand.

"I have to get rid of the evidence," Ginger told herself.

She tossed all of the bags back in the mini-fridge, made sure no one was looking, and then ran behind one of the moving trucks. Needing to work fast, she ripped off the wrapper with one pull and bit into the bar, gathering an entire third of it in her mouth. Instantly, she felt as if she was in heaven thanks to the sweet taste.

"The display was right..." she murmured. "It **DOES** taste good to kids!"

"**A-HA!**"

Ginger froze in place. She slowly turned her head to the right and saw both Isabella and Adyson standing there, with scowls on their faces and their hands on their hips.

"Caught you red-handed!" Adyson continued. "Shame on you, Ginger!"

"How could you?" Isabella asked, in disbelief. "It's wrong to steal! **ESPECIALLY** for a Fireside Girl!"

"It's a founding principal. Izzy, you know, as troop leader, that's an expulsion-worthy offense. You could kick her out of the troop for that."

"I could, couldn't I? Hmmm..."

Seeing that Isabella was seriously considering the worst-case option, Ginger knew that begging was her only chance to keep her sash. So she dropped to her knees in front of the girls and started to do so.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't want to steal it, but I forgot my wallet, and I... I didn't want to ask to borrow money because I owe you all so much. Look, once we're done here, we'll go to my house, I'll get some money, we'll drive back to the store, I'll confess to stealing and pay for my granola bar! If I do that, can I stay in the troop?"

Isabella and Adyson conferred, and Ginger waited anxiously to hear their decision...

* * *

><p>The next day, Ginger was back in the store, wheeling a cart out of the stock room and heading for the candy aisles...<p>

_So I did everything I promised, and Isabella forgave me and allowed me to stay in the troop. After I confessed to the store owner and paid for the bar, he forgave me too. But he still thought I needed to make sure I had learned my lesson, so he told me to come in today, an hour before opening, to stock the shelves._

_I don't envy anyone who has to do this dull job for a living._

The owner walked up to Ginger just as she finished her task.

"That's enough, Ginger. You may go home!"

"Thanks!"

_The moral of the story? Don't steal!_

She was about to walk out, but then she passed by the rack of caramel apples - and there was only one left. She plucked it and headed for the door.

"**AHEM!**" coughed the owner.

Ginger stopped, realizing she was about to walk out without paying. She sheepishly returned to the counter, reached into her pocket, and put three dollar bills down.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Apologies for the moral-laden tale, but this is a family-friendly series, and sometimes these stories are needed because you just really can't think of anything else good.<p>

Stay tuned for the next new entry! New ones posted every Thursday!


	3. Juiced to Meet You

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So Adyson is up this week, and she's got quite the tale to tell!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>It was another run-of-the-mill lunch period at Danville Elementary. Adyson had just inserted a dollar into the bill acceptor of a drink vending machine. She then scanned her possible choices and pressed the button for one... a button marked 'Sunspot Orange Juice.'<p>

_Entry #290 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater_

_What's up, my adoring fans?_

_Now, as much as all of you love and worship me, I myself have people I look up to. I don't mean my parents, even though they are an influential part of my life to date. I'm talking about looking up at the stars. The stars of Hollywood, of course!_

A few seconds later, a 12-ounce bottle popped out at the bottom. She squatted down to pick it up with one hand, while reaching into the change slot with her other, pulling a quarter from it. She stood back up and took a few steps away so that the next person in line could use the machine. Adyson twisted the cap off and took a few sips.

_I'm just like any other ten-year old girl. I see girls only a few years older than me get on TV and make it big in a TV show. My hope is that one day I'd get to meet one of them in person and spend hours gushing about how much I love them. You know... like most of you adore me._

"Mmmm..." Adyson said as she put the cap back on. "That's good orange juice."

She then glanced down at the side of the bottle and saw something that made her scream with glee inside. She would scream on the outside, too, if she would not get in trouble for it. The label was advertising a contest in which the grand prize was a trip to New York City to meet a Disney Channel starlet.

Adyson bolted to a nearby table, where Isabella, Gretchen, and Ginger were already sitting. The former two were pulling items out of their lunch boxes, while Ginger made the mistake of deciding to buy lunch on mystery meat day - the expression on her face as she poked at the sickly-looking slab with a plastic fork was not a pleasant one.

"**GIRLS!**" Adyson shouted as she got to them. "Good news!"

"The lunch lady agreed with my suggestion to ditch mystery meat in favor of chicken fingers?" Ginger guessed, with hope in her eyes.

"Even better! Girls..."

She showed the trio her juice bottle.

"I know what we're gonna do this weekend!"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #290 [FSD103] - Juiced to Meet You (07.28.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

Later that afternoon, the entirety of the troop, minus Adyson, were at their secret clubhouse in the woods.

"So explain to me what we're doing again," Holly looked at Isabella.

"Well..."

Suddenly, the door swung open, and on instinct, everyone pulled out water balloons to fling at the intruder.

"It's me!"

Adyson stepped in, and everyone relaxed.

"False alarm," Gretchen stated, as she placed her balloon back on the shelf behind her.

"As I said to some of you at lunch today," Adyson recalled, "I know what we're gonna do this weekend!"

She turned around and strained to pull inside a red wagon loaded with three dozen bottles of Sunspot Orange Juice.

"So... who wants to help me win a trip to New York City to meet a Disney Channel starlet?"

That question did not generate an enthusiastic response. Or a response of any kind. Except from Isabella, who walked up to her to deliver hers face-to-face.

"You mean the trip is only for you, Adyson?"

"I'd love to bring you all with me, but..."

She pulled a bottle from the top package and pointed out the rules for Isabella to read aloud.

"'Grand prize is an all-expenses paid trip to NYC for one kid under the age of 18 and one parent or legal guardian to accompany them.'"

"Gotta live by the rules."

"Alright, so if we help you win, Adyson... what's in it for us?"

Adyson thought for a second, then came up with a great answer.

"I can use it as an entry for our blog! I can recount the whole experience, take a few photos, do a small little Q&A with whomever I meet. It'll be a hit! Especially if I meet someone big like Selena Gomez or Bridgit Mendler or even... Zendaya!"

"Well," gave in Isabella, "it **DOES** sound like it could be fun. Girls?"

Isabella looked to see if there were any objections. Seeing none, she approved of Adyson's idea.

"Okay, girl... what do we need to help you do to win?"

* * *

><p>So to win the contest, you had to look at the bottom of each bottle and search for one of three letters - N, Y, and C - and the word 'Trip,' all of which were on these plastic-sealed cardboard circles.<p>

Finding the N was easy...

"I got an 'N!'" shouted Katie, holding up her empty bottle and allowing Adyson to peer in to verify it.

"Yep!"

Isabella finished hers next, and saw that hers had an 'N' as well.

"I found an 'N' as well!"

"Great!" Adyson clapped. "Now all we have to do is find four more and we have 'NNNNNN!' I'm pretty sure that spells something worthwhile."

Little did she know that everyone else would also have the 'N' chip at the bottom of all of their bottles.

"Man... this is gonna be harder than I thought!"

* * *

><p>Two hours later...<p>

It was starting to get dark, and all of the girls were lying on the wooden floor, groaning in pain as their stomaches had been filled with juice. Not counting the bottles either in hand or plopped down next to them, there were only two unopened bottles left in the wagon.

Adyson suddenly walked in, to grab the last two bottles, when she saw the state of her fellow troopmates...

"Whoa! What's up with you guys?"

Isabella was in the least pain of the others, as she managed to pick herself up off the floor and walk over, though she was still clutching her stomach.

"You're just on your third?" Adyson asked, as Isabella approached with a quarter-filled bottle and two empty ones.

She then came to a realization.

"Don't... don't tell me you guys **DRANK** all of that juice!"

Adyson helped Isabella outside, where she pointed out that she had filled almost an entire empty milk gallon jug with juice.

"You guys weren't **SUPPOSED** to drink all of it! The rest you could've just poured out and recycled!"

Isabella glared at Adyson.

"What? Do I have to tell you guys everything?"

* * *

><p><em>After a night's rest and a couple of stomach pumps, we were out on the trail again! Our first batch resulted in 32 'N's and 4 'C's. Obviously, we needed a bigger sample size.<em>

The girls split into three teams, each with a red wagon in tow, and they went around to several stores in the city, buying as much Sunspot Orange Juice as they could tug. They brought it all back to their clubhouse, and this time, they just dumped all of it into an old bathtub they had found in the woods some time ago. After going through dozens and dozens of bottles...

"Come here, come here, **COME HERE!**" cried Milly.

Everyone gathered around her. Milly handed the bottle to Adyson, who peered into the opening...

"It's a 'Y!' It's a 'Y!'"

"We finally found one!" Holly rejoiced with relief.

"Now all we have to do is find the word 'Trip' and Adyson wins!" Isabella reminded them all.

"One problem," Gretchen cut in, as she walked over to their diminishing stack of bottles, "we're down to about 20 bottles, and the odds are strongly against us finding it in one of these."

"Two problems, actually," corrected Isabella, as she pulled out her pockets to show they were empty. "I've spent all my allowance."

Everyone else checked to see how much money they had left, and the result...

"46 cents," Adyson sighed in disappointment. "Not nearly enough for even just one more bottle."

"Well," Ginger piped in, "we better get lucky, then!"

The group tore through the final few bottles...

"'N.'"

"'C.'"

"'N.'"

"'N!'"

But before they knew it, they were down to their last bottle. And Adyson herself was holding it.

"Cross your fingers, girls!"

She dumped the contents out, making sure to get out every last drop. She then covered her eyes with her other hand.

"I can't look! Somebody else do it!"

Isabella obliged as she turned the bottle's opening towards her, and peered inside.

"Oh... my... gosh!"

"It's a letter, isn't it? I guess it wasn't meant to be!"

"It's not just one letter, Adyson! There are **FOUR** in here!"

"**FOUR?**"

Adyson pulled the bottle towards her and she looked inside. There were indeed four... and they spelled the word 'Trip.'

"We won? We... **WON?**"

The entire group squealed with glee as they danced around the now nearly-filled bathtub, the final piece that would get Adyson her trip to New York.

* * *

><p>A month later, Adyson was in Times Square, standing on the curb as a limousine pulled to a stop in front of her.<p>

_So I won my trip, and I got to meet the starlet of my dreams! Like I've always said, good things come to those who never give up!_

The door opened, and someone stepped out of it...

* * *

><p>A few weeks after the entry had been posted...<p>

Adyson was sitting in front of the computer at the lodge, typing up a different entry as Isabella walked up to her with about a dozen pages of paper in hand.

"Have you seen the comments for number 290 yet?" Isabella asked.

"Yep!" Adyson chirped gleefully. "All 175 of them!"

Isabella coughed. "Ahem, let me rephrase that. Did you actually **READ** the comments for number 290?"

She then dropped the rubber-banded packet into Adyson's lap. She began to read the top page silently to herself, but Isabella quickly summarized it for her.

"There was no ending, Adyson! Everyone wants to know... who did you meet in New York City?"

Adyson rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"In fact, you never told any of us! You've been dodging the question for weeks! So... who did you meet?"

Adyson found herself with no choice but to reveal the truth.

* * *

><p>Adyson watched in anticipation as the starlet stepped out of the limousine. She had brown, curly hair, was dressed in a zipped-up jean jacket and matching blue jeans, accentuated by her pink boots.<p>

"Nice to meet you, Adyson! I'm Madison Pettis!"

* * *

><p>"You met Madison Pettis?" repeated Isabella.<p>

"I know, right? After all that, a C-list starlet! Complete waste of time!"

Adyson clearly was not happy, but Isabella tried to make her look on the bright side.

"Well... at least you got to meet **A** starlet."

"If they were going to have me meet someone so low on the totem pole, they could've at least sprung for that girl who plays PJ's girlfriend on 'Good Luck Charlie.' Or Alyson Stoner."

"Yeah, they could've given you someone low like Alyson Sto-"

Adyson grinned from ear to ear as she noticed Isabella come to the realization of whom she was naming as a C-list star.

"**HEY!**"

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>I'm still under the belief that Adyson is the most fun of the Fireside Girls to write for, especially since she's not as defined as, say, Isabella. I like writing these mini-confrontations between the two of them, although they're not on the grand scale as they have been in the past. Still, to fall in line more with the troop's pledge to push for teamwork, their rivalry has been scaled back to just playful jabbing.<p>

If this series makes it to a second season, though, there's always the chance the harder-pushing Adyson could make a comeback...


	4. Silence is Not Golden

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

In a normal world, what happens in this entry would be grounds for ending a relationship. But in the Phineas and Ferb world? Hmmm... something to think about as you read.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>"<strong>ADYSON SWEETWATER!<strong>"

Adyson groaned as Isabella stomped angrily towards her, the former sitting in front of the computer at the lodge with Gretchen, who was updating the website with a few new entries.

"Look," Adyson explained herself as Isabella stopped in front of her, with her hands on her hips, "if you're busting me because Phineas smiled at me the other day and I decided to smile back..."

"Number 103, Adyson!"

Adyson turned to Gretchen for clarification, and the glasses-wearing girl filled in the blanks. Remorsefully.

"Don't blame her, Chief. I'm the one responsible for actually uploading all of the entries."

Isabella gasped. "Gretchen! How could you?"

"Me? Chief, you sent it to me and told me to post it!"

Isabella's jaw dropped in stunned silence. She wondered how she could have made such an egregious error.

"I don't get it," interjected Adyson. "What's so bad about 103?"

"Bad? How can you **NOT** know about 103?"

"Simple," Gretchen explained as she pulled up the entry onto the screen. "This all happened on the **LAST** weekend of summer break. And Adyson was out of town with her family the entire time."

"Whoa! And you guys kept it a secret from me? It **MUST** be good!"

Gretchen slid over so Adyson could read the entry. Isabella peeked over the brunette's shoulder, but did not lift a finger to stop her.

**-**  
><strong>Entry #103 [FSD105] - Silence is Not Golden (08.04.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_[Entry #103 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_Isabella, again. Mood: disbelief._

_The most horrific thing in the world happened to me today! Well, other than the - ahem - 'paper' incident. You have to promise **NEVER** to tell anyone about what I'm writing in you. **EVER!**_

_That being said... I guess I should take you back to Thursday. And it all started with an innocent game of Truth or Dare...]_

Flashback to said day, or rather, night, as the core members of the troop, minus Adyson, were gathered around a campfire in Isabella's backyard, just off to the side of her outdoor pool. Three tents had been pitched, and they were about to head off to sleep, having been told to do so by Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro just a minute ago.

But first...

"Last turn!" Holly announced. "Make it good!"

Everyone turned their attention to Milly, who was wearing her mustard-colored shirt inside-out, as she had been dared to so earlier in the night.

"Isabella!"

The others slid away from their troop leader, leaving a direct line of sight between the two girls.

"Truth... or dare?"

Isabella smiled. This was Milly after all, the sweetest girl in the entire troop... next to Isabella herself, that is. There was no reason to suspect what was coming.

"Okay, Milly. Dare."

_Ah. My first mistake. Picking dare._

Milly thought long and hard of a dare. Isabella patiently waited for her to come up with one.

"Okay. Isabella, I dare you... to not talk about Phineas in any way, **OR** talk at all whenever Phineas can see you, for 72 hours straight!"

The others were amazed at hearing Milly come up with such a clever dare. But maybe too clever...

"No way she does it," Gretchen whispered to Ginger. "Chief would never be able to do that."

_And here comes numero dos..._

"I'll do it!" Isabella declared, amped to take on the challenge.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Isabella and the girls walked across the street from her house to Phineas' backyard.<p>

"Do we **HAVE** to do this?" Isabella asked. "It's hard enough I can't talk about or to Phineas... but you're still making me see him?"

"It's not any fun if you play 'keep away' the whole time!" explained Ginger.

The six of them proceeded to the backyard, where they found Phineas and Ferb already hard at work on their Big Idea of the Day, which had something to do with early 20th Century planes, since they had begun building one from the ground up.

"Hey, Phineas!" all of the girls, minus Isabella, said in greeting.

"Hi, girls!" Phineas said back, waving hello.

The girls all turned towards Isabella, smiling as they knew what was supposed to come next. Isabella stood there, twiddling her thumbs, trying to resist the temptation of asking what Phineas was up to in her own, special way. Phineas, as if expecting it, was looking her way as well, not intending to get back to work until he heard her say...

"Whatcha doin'?"

That blurt out had not come from Isabella, but from Ginger instead. At first Phineas seemed confused, but then he shrugged his shoulders and went along with it.

"We're building some old-fashioned flying machines so we can recreate the famed Dogfight Over Danville of 1920!"

At that moment, Buford walked in, carrying Baljeet by his tail. Why tail? Because they were both wearing dog suits - Buford was dressed as a beagle, Baljeet as a miniature poodle.

"See?" Baljeet berated Buford. "Not **THAT** kind of dogfight!"

"Aw man! I was so in the mood to bark angrily at you all day!"

* * *

><p>They spent all day putting the planes together, constructing six in total.<p>

"Say, Isabella!" Phineas called out to her. "You wanna be my wingman? Or winggirl?"

She wanted to say yes, but with the girls watching her, she could not.

"I guess that's a no? Okay... I guess it's you and me, Ferb!"

Ferb had appeared in the back seat of the plane's cockpit, having already donned a hard half-spherical hat and goggles. Isabella was forced to settle for pairing with Gretchen for the reenactment.

* * *

><p>Similar situations unfolded the next two days, as the girls helped Phineas and Ferb create an efficient, non-polluting energy source whose main ingredient was tree leaves on Saturday, and run a maid cafe that sold sweets and lightly-caffeinated beverages on Sunday. On both days, Phineas had offered Isabella many chances to spend some time together, up close and personal. But each time she could not accept, just because she was so determined to complete the dare.<p>

But the inability to interact with her crush was starting to get to her. By the time the cafe was whisked away by the same mysterious occurrences that took away of the boys' creations at the end of the day, Isabella's hair was in a frazzled state, the purple bow in her hair was lopsided, her left eye was twitching involuntarily, and she had numerous iced hot chocolate splotches on her apron.

Phineas had noticed Isabella's current, uncharacteristic look, as everyone other than the two of them and Ferb walked out of the backyard - including the rest of the troop. He decided to go over to her and ask her what was up.

"Great job today, Isabella!" he complimented her. "A couple minor complaints of your dirty apron towards the end there. But that's my fault for deciding to go with cloth ones over the non-stick, cast iron ones. Maybe next time."

But despite all of his praise, Isabella did not respond.

"Hmmm... are you upset because today's the last day of summer? I know we've had a lot of great times together, Isabella, but they don't have to end when school starts tomorrow..."

Suddenly, Gretchen stuck her head back into yard, having remembered someone was supposed to be keeping an eye on Isabella at all times to see if she would crack. Just in time, because she saw Isabella's expression change. To Gretchen, it looked as if Isabella was ready to crack, and she was going to take it out on an unsuspecting Phineas.

Gretchen quickly rushed in, grabbed Isabella and pulled her around the corner to the far side of the house.

"It's okay!" Gretchen told the heavy-breathing Isabella. "Even though we're still in the yard, you can talk since Phineas technically can't see you."

Isabella took that opportunity to finally get everything off of her chest.

"I can't take it anymore, Gretchen! Interacting with you-know-who is as natural to me as breathing air! I can't live without doing it!"

"Chief... you're coming real close to losing the dare..."

Isabella grabbed Gretchen at the elbows and started shaking her.

"I'm not gonna make it to tomorrow morning! I... have... to... say... it..."

Back with the boys...

"In hindsight," Phineas realized, "we should've had the girls make cupcakes shaped like our heads. Those would've been big sellers."

"**PHINEAS! WHATCHA DOIN'?**"

Isabella came sprinting towards them, with hearts in her eyes. At that exact moment, Buford, Baljeet, and all of the girls walked back into the yard. They were surprised to hear Isabella calling out Phineas' name.

"Wow," gasped Holly. "She didn't make it?"

"I guess even Isabella's not perfect," Ginger stated aloud. "And Milly wins Truth or Dare."

Milly clapped her hands once in glee. Then...

"Is there a patch for that?"

_Remember those two mistakes I made earlier? Well..._

Isabella jumped into the air, intending to land in her crush's arms, and he appeared ready for it, as he put out his arms to catch her.

_...here's strike three._

Unfortunately, she had mistimed her jump and had landed short.

"Isabella!" Phineas exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

_No, not that._

Phineas extended his left hand out to help Isabella up, but she decided to reach for it without looking. But her aim was a little low, as instead of grabbing his hand, she got a hold of the right leg of his short.

And then she made a downward pulling motion.

_That._

Isabella had pulled Phineas's shorts down, revealing his underwear.

"**HA!**" pointed out Buford. "Isabella just pantsed Dinner Bell!"

Everyone laughed mockingly at Isabella's embarrassing mistake.

* * *

><p>Adyson stopped reading. She was stunned in disbelief. Her jaw hung wide open as she turned to look at Isabella, then went back to staring at the screen. Adyson read the last few lines again, to herself. Once she was finished, she still had that same dumbfounded look on her face as she turned her head towards Isabella again.<p>

"Wow," Adyson finally managed to utter. "Wow."

Isabella was confused by her friend's reaction. "Is that the good kind of 'wow' or the bad kind?"

Adyson chuckled as she got up out of her seat and patted Isabella on the shoulder.

"Okay, Izzy, I give! Phineas is yours, Phineas is yours! You don't have to make up some crazy story to stake your claim to him! Ha!"

"Huh?"

"But that was a good read, though. Thanks for the laugh!"

She giggled some more as she walked off, leaving a perplexed Isabella behind to ponder Adyson's strange reaction. But Gretchen had a perfect explanation for it.

"I guess everyone really **DOES** take bad news differently."

"Yes," agreed Isabella. "Yes they do."

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>You've probably figured out by now that this is the incident Buford used to blackmail Isabella in "I'm Your Next Class President!" It was a story that had to be told, and it's a cute wrinkle in the relationship between Phineas and Isabella. One that damages it beyond repair? One that they'll look back on and laugh at several years down the road? Perhaps.<p>

But the only one laughing right now is Adyson... because she thinks it's too ridiculous to be true.


	5. The Hardest 'A' Ever

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, in production order, Gretchen is the first girl to get her own entry displayed. And this is one of those warm and fuzzy tales. Hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>The school bell rang, and the students began to file out of the room. The kids' teacher was standing at the door, passing out report cards as they exited. Isabella, Adyson, and Gretchen were in line together, anxious to see what their grades for the quarter were.<p>

_Entry #161 - Written by Gretchen_

_So today was the day. The day in which I'd find out if all of that training paid off._

The trio made their way out, with Gretchen bringing up the rear.

"We'll look at it on three!" Isabella commanded.

The two girls gathered around Gretchen, peering over either shoulder, as Gretchen held the once-folded piece of paper in hand and in front of her.

_Today, I'd finally find out if I had gotten that A... in gym._

She unfolded the card, and...

**-**  
><strong>Entry #161 [FSD102] - The Hardest 'A' Ever (08.11.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_To explain why getting an A in gym is so important to me, I'd have to take you back a couple weeks..._

Gretchen had a frown on her face as she walked up to Isabella, who was at her locker, currently filling her backpack with the books she would need to do her homework that night.

"Chief," Gretchen told her, "I have a problem."

"What do you mean?" Isabella asked in return.

* * *

><p><em>I explained on the bus ride home to Chief and the girls about my inability to get an A in gym.<em>

"How can that be?" Adyson asked. "You show up, you participate, you get an A!"

"I wish it were that simple," Gretchen said. "But then comes... the physical fitness test!"

"The one we have to do every other month in school?"

"I think those are fun!" shouted an exuberant Katie.

"For Gretchen they aren't," Isabella revealed. "Gretchen and I have been in the same class since kindergarten, and she dreads taking the physical fitness test. So much so that she's always been absent from school the day they've been given the last two years!"

"But this year," Gretchen started to cry, "the gym teacher said the test is mandatory! Anyone who doesn't take it automatically fails for the quarter!"

The other girls gasped in shock.

"Even when I've attempted to take it, I always do the worst in the class by far! Oh... what am I going to do? I don't want to get an F, but I don't want to embarrass myself in front of my classmates again!"

"Which is why," Isabella interjected, "you're not only going to take that test next Friday, but we're gonna help you pass it! Right, girls?"

"**RIGHT!**"

Gretchen gathered herself as she wiped a couple tears from her face.

"But how, Chief?"

"With belief and a firm amount of conditioning! Gretchen, prepare to become the fittest fifth grade girl in school!"

* * *

><p><em>And thus, my training began...<em>

Isabella blew a whistle, and Gretchen took off from the starting line. The former had a stopwatch in hand and was timing the latter in the mile run. Gretchen seemed to be doing well to start...

...but when she came to complete her first lap, she collapsed right in front of Isabella, to her surprise.

* * *

><p>A bar seven feet off the ground has been set up, and Gretchen was trying to jump up to grab it so she could attempt a pull-up. But then Adyson arrived to tap Gretchen on the shoulder, and pointed at the five-foot high bar right next to it. Gretchen blushed in embarrassment.<p>

* * *

><p>Gretchen sat down at a sit and reach box, to test how far her arms could extend. She made a spirited go at it, and reached 24 centimeters. Holly, who was next to her, shook her head, seeing as that was only a centimeter past the baseline.<p>

* * *

><p>Next up was the shuttle run. Ginger timed it as Gretchen was to run 30 feet, pick a small rectangular block off of the ground, run back, place it at the starting line, go back to get the second block, then return once again, running through the finish line. Seemed simple, but Gretchen bumbled that up by tripping over her own two feet as she bent down to pick up the first block and turn at the same time. As a result, Ginger winced as Gretchen fell face-first onto the clay track.<p>

* * *

><p>And last came curl-ups, which Gretchen did while Katie held her feet down and Milly watched the clock. Gretchen came up, her arms crossed over her chest, and pressed her elbows against her knees.<p>

"Time!" called Milly.

Gretchen lied back down, breathing heavily and sweating profusely.

"Wow!" Katie gasped in amazement. "Ten in one minute! Great!"

Milly looked at a pamphlet she had in hand and whispered in Katie's ear.

"**THIRTY?**" shouted Katie. "No one can do that many!"

* * *

><p><em>Things seemed grim at first, but...<em>

Gretchen began to show vast improvement in just a few days, starting with actually finishing four laps around the track, or a whole mile, without stopping.

"Attagirl!" Isabella exclaimed, giving her a thumbs up. "Now we just got to get you to do it faster!"

* * *

><p>Adyson lifted Gretchen up so she could grasp the high bar, but the second Gretchen tried to pull upwards, her strength would give out, and she would fall backwards, and onto Adyson.<p>

* * *

><p>Gretchen raced past Ginger, who pressed the stop button on her watch. The Asian girl looked at it, then jumped up and down in celebration, happy with Gretchen's time.<p>

* * *

><p>Milly and Katie were actively encouraging Gretchen as she started getting better at doing curl-ups. At the end of each session, Milly wrote the number Gretchen did successfully. One day, it was 14. Then 17, 19, 20, 26, and finally, 31!<p>

* * *

><p>Gretchen was grimacing as she only needed to lift herself one more inch to get her chin above the bar. But her attempt ended when Isabella walked over, visibly miffed, as she tapped Adyson on the shoulder... because Adyson was holding onto and pushing Gretchen upwards. Adyson let go, and so did Gretchen... and she ended up landing on top of both girls.<p>

* * *

><p>Holly demonstrated for Gretchen how to arch her back properly to extend her reach. Afterwards, Gretchen applied that lesson to the sit and reach. And it worked, as Holly nodded upon seeing Gretchen stretch out to a hair over 28 centimeters.<p>

* * *

><p>Back to the mile run, as Gretchen crossed the line and Isabella ran over to show her a completion time of 12:45. The next day, it dropped down to 12:19. Then 11:58, 11:44, 11:37, 11:30, and, finally...<p>

* * *

><p>The day of the physical fitness test...<p>

"Come on, Gretchen!" Isabella shouted, despite being short on breath. "All the way!"

Gretchen was in the last 30 meters, pushing herself as hard as she could as the finish line got closer and closer and closer...

And then she crossed it, raising her arms with glee. She then quickly slowed down, and promptly fell onto the track. Isabella and Adyson hurried over and picked her up off the ground.

"11:20!" Isabella shouted excitedly. "She passed, she passed!"

"You hear that, Gretchen?" Adyson looked at her. "You passed!"

Gretchen could only give a simple nod, still too exhausted to even speak.

* * *

><p>After a short period of time, Gretchen found herself looking up at her toughest nemesis... the pull-up bar. Isabella was standing right behind her, designated as her lifter and spotter.<p>

"You can do this!" Isabella told her inspiringly. "You've passed all of the other tests!"

Gretchen nodded, though she was still scared.

"You only have to do one to pass! If me and Adyson can do it, then so can you!"

Gretchen took a deep breath, then glanced over her shoulder at Isabella.

"You're right, Chief. I can do this!"

She turned around and then raised her arms up and over her head. Isabella wrapped her arms around Gretchen's waist and then lifted her friend up to the bar. Gretchen made sure she had a firm grip, then signaled for Isabella to let go. She did, taking two small steps back and waiting to catch Gretchen if she should fall. Meanwhile, Adyson turned to the other girls in the class and started to chant...

"Just do one! Just do one! Just do one!"

Quickly, they all joined her in cheering Gretchen on...

"Just do one! Just do one!"

As did Isabella.

"Just do one! Just do one! Just do one!"

Gretchen squeezed the bar with all her might and attempted to pull herself up. Slowly but surely, her body moved upward. She got to the point where her eyes were level with the bar, and she could not see through it. Then she could begin to peek over it...

"Just do one! Just do one! Just do one!"

Everyone watched as Gretchen's eyes were over the bar, then her nose, and then her mouth.

"She's gonna do it!" Adyson exclaimed. "Everyone, keep cheering! Just do one! Just do one!"

Gretchen was really straining, but she really wanted to get that one pull-up. She just had to lift herself an inch or two more, to get her chin clearly over the bar.

And then... her arms gave out. She instantly dropped down to her starting position, then down to the ground as she let go of the bar. She safely landed on her feet, but she was sad that she had not accomplished her goal - and the silence of her fellow classmates showed their disappointment of her falling just short. Isabella, though, was not going to stand there and let Gretchen be sad, so she leaned in, wrapped her arms around her friend's stomach, and gave her a big hug from behind.

"I don't care that you failed the last test," Isabella told her. "You'll always get an A in gym in my heart!"

"Awww..." cooed Adyson. "That's so sweet!"

Adyson ran over to join in the hug, and the rest of the girls were right behind her. Even in failure, Gretchen was still getting tons of support from the entire class.

* * *

><p>But would that be enough on paper?<p>

"The moment of truth..." Gretchen said aloud.

Back in the present, as Gretchen unfolded her report card with Isabella and Adyson looking on from over her shoulders.

"I... got an A? I got an A in gym! **I GOT AN A IN GYM!**"

Isabella and Adyson looked at each other, then shouted in unison...

"**GRETCHEN GOT AN A IN GYM!**"

They both reached in and gave Gretchen a big hug. After doing so, they continued to celebrate. Gretchen was proud too, but what really hit her was the comments the gym teacher had left her.

_So my gym teacher's comments were, "Gretchen is the most improved student in her class. Although she did not pass the entirety of the physical fitness test, she showed effort and determination that I haven't seen in years. Great job!"_

_And that, my friends, is how I finally got an A in gym class._

"Gretch!" she heard Isabella yell. "Let's get some ice cream to celebrate!"

"Coming, Chief!"

Gretchen rejoined her friends and they walked out together, all with smiles on their faces.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>I'm glad this turned out to be a heartwarming little tale. Gretchen in this entry reminds me of myself in elementary school. Fit mentally, but far from it physically. Hopefully, this is inspiring to those of you still her age and have fitness tests in your future.<p> 


	6. Test My Heart

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So Holly gets the series' first shipper-friendly tale. This was pretty fun to write... I don't think she has any fandom-accepted pairings...

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>"So what are you doing for the science fair?" questioned Holly.<p>

Django, who was sitting next to her in class, answered her.

"I'm testing different substances to see if any are a good substitute for surfboard wax."

"**WHAT DO YOU MEAN WATCHING PHINEAS AND FERB BUILD STUFF IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SCIENCE PROJECT IDEA?**" yelled Irving from a few rows in front of them.

_Entry #227 - Written by Holly_

_It was the day we were getting our science fair project proposals back, and I was curious to see if my teacher would let me do my experiment. It's kinda unorthodox, but I figured... it involved a topic I think she'd be genuinely encouraged to want to have explored._

Suddenly, Holly's teacher, a light brown-haired woman in her late 20s, walked up and handed the Fireside Girl her proposal, face down. The teacher then leaned in close, and whispered...

"If you need a test subject, Holly, I'm willing and able!"

But Holly quickly shot her down. "I appreciate the offer, Miss Dunkirk, but to enter it in the science fair, I'm not allowed to receive direct help from a teacher."

Miss Dunkirk nodded in understanding, then walked off. Once she was out of hearing range, Django leaned over to ask...

"What are you doing that has Miss Dunkirk so giddy about it?"

"Oh," Holly smirked, "you'll know it when you see it."

**-**  
><strong>Entry #227 [FSD106] - Test My Heart (08.18.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

After school, in the computer lab, Holly was already hard at work on the first phase of her experiment. And that required getting on to the Internet and searching for something...

_Curious as to what my topic is?_

She typed the words 'love calculator' into the search box and then pressed enter on her keyboard. In less than a second, a list of choices appeared before her.

"Wow! How many of these things are there? And how do I pick which one to use?"

She held up her graded proposal in front of her, which had the title of her project on it. It was 'Can a love calculator successfully predict romantic compatibility?'

_I bet you everyone reading this has wondered **THAT** question at some point._

"Holly!"

Holly turned to her left and saw Isabella walking towards her.

"Hi, Isa!"

"So..." Isabella asked curiously, "whatcha doin'?"

"Starting on my science fair project!"

Isabella seemed a bit puzzled. "I like your enthusiasm, but the science fair is not for another six weeks."

Isabella then looked at Holly's computer screen. She then asked...

"What's a love calculator?"

Holly handed Isabella her project proposal, and the black-haired girl quickly flipped through it as Holly clicked one of the links at random.

"So you're trying to see if they actually work?"

"That's the plan!" replied Holly.

Isabella smirked. "Then allow me to help!"

Holly caught the hint and slid the keyboard over to Isabella. She put in her name on the first line, and then Phineas' on the second. She then used the mouse to click on the 'calculate' button, and the result instantly appeared on screen.

"48 percent?" she stated it aloud. "That's it?"

Holly shrugged. "It's almost 50 percent. That's sorta favorable."

"But... Phineas and I are meant to be together! That number should be at least in the ninetieth percentile!"

Holly suddenly got an idea. She clicked on Isabella's name, then pressed the delete key, and entered in her own name. Isabella watched as Holly got the result.

"**WHAT?**" they both yelled. "**65 PERCENT?**"

Isabella looked unhappy, and Holly was a little afraid of what was going to come next...

"If it makes you feel better," Holly tried to excuse herself from the result, "I have no desire to go out with him?"

"Don't worry," Isabella answered, keeping rather calm. "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself!"

"Pardon?"

"I've **GOT** to find a way to make myself completely compatible with Phineas! Whatever it takes!"

With that, Isabella stormed out of the room. Holly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hmmm..." Holly thought out loud. "Should probably exclude Phineas as a subject. Just to be safe."

She crossed out Phineas' name, which was at the top of her shortlist, leaving numerous other possible options.

* * *

><p>"What's your ideal girlfriend?"<p>

Holly asked that question to several fifth grade boys, beginning with a brown-haired boy a few inches taller than her.

"Someone as cute as a button, smart, very outgoing."

"Okay, follow-up question! Is it me?"

The boy laughed. "Are you kidding? You? Cute? Ha ha!"

Holly frowned, then walked away. Some point later, she crossed out the name Ron, and the 92 percent next to his name.

* * *

><p>"Would you ever consider going out with me?"<p>

This boy was even taller, and he was clearly cross-eyed. And confused. After a few seconds, he finally answered.

"Why would I go out with me?"

Holly looked down at the boy's name, George, and the 18 she had put in beside it. She added a check mark, followed by three question marks. She then slowly backed away, and George just stood there, not reacting at all.

* * *

><p>"I've always dreamed of going out with you! <strong>YES!<strong>"

Holly giggled happily. She looked down at her pad and circled the boy's name, the oddly green-haired Milo, who was the same height as she was, and his 92 number.

"Wait! You're Isabella, right?"

"No," deadpanned Holly. "I'm not."

Milo wiped his forehead in relief. "Whew! I almost made a **HUGE** mistake!"

He then started to walk away.

"Well..." Holly shot back, "I can find someone better than you!"

* * *

><p>That someone better was apparently... a displeased Isabella?<p>

"Really?"

"What?" grinned Holly. "You know somebody wants it! Oh, and I checked this morning... still 48!"

"Darn it!" stomped Isabella. "Phineas will be mine!"

Isabella went off again to try to improve her compatibility. As for Holly, onto the next name...

* * *

><p>At least Holly was starting to get into some familiar faces. First, the 87 of...<p>

"I am flattered," a blushing Baljeet responded to hearing his number, "but I am into so many girls other than you."

"How can you turn me down?" Holly huffed. "You're Baljeet!"

"Even I have a limit to how many girls' affections I am able to juggle effectively, you know."

* * *

><p>Then the slightly lower 82 of...<p>

"I'm not answering your silly questions!" Buford exclaimed as he walked away, carrying Baljeet off by his underwear as he did.

"Could you at least answer one so I can get down?" asked Baljeet.

"It's for science!" Holly shouted as she gave chase.

"That's **EXACTLY** why I don't wanna do it!" answered the bully with finality.

* * *

><p>And then...<p>

"I'll be honest," Holly said nervously, "64 is still a lot higher than I thought for the two of us."

She happened to be talking to Ferb, who... slowly backed away, and Holly just stood there and let him leave.

* * *

><p>Several weeks later...<p>

Holly sighed as she plopped down in front of a computer in the lab.

_So, I had gone through every fifth-grade boy who went to Danville Elementary. Every single guy that the calculator said was supposed to like me didn't, and every one that wasn't, did! Except for George. But I don't count him because... well, he's George!_

"So I guess love calculators are terrible at predicting love," Holly told herself aloud. "Really terrible."

She began typing away at the computer.

_I had no choice but to report on a love calculator's poor success rate. That is, until..._

Holly felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a black-haired boy with brown skin standing there.

"Are you the girl asking every fifth grade boy out?"

"Yes, that's me. It's my science project."

"Good. I was hoping... you'd ask me. I'm Pedro."

Holly looked perplexed. "Wha?"

"You're friends with Ginger, right? I'm in her class."

Holly suddenly remembered. "Oh, right! The boy in the far corner of the room that doesn't speak to anyone."

"Yeah..." he said sheepishly, "that's me."

"Okay. Let me just find my questionnaire and then..."

But Pedro would not let her do that, as he grabbed Holly's arm, pulled her up out of the seat, and then out of the lab.

* * *

><p>He took her to Mr. Slushy Burger, where he paid for her kids' meal then got one for himself. After they had finished eating, they played with their toys, which was the restaurant's clown mascot sitting in a toy go-kart.<p>

* * *

><p>The next stop was the park, where Holly elatedly let Pedro push her back and forth on the swings. Later, they had fun on the seesaw, continuously bouncing up and down. Finally, they rode the little rocking animals - Holly was on the tiger, while Pedro was on the lion.<p>

* * *

><p>After that, they went on a bike ride, holding hands as they rode down the sidewalk together. People simply got out of their way, not wanting to break up the love fest. A certain lamp post, though, would not budge, and they fell off their bikes when they failed to separate their hands in time. But they laughed it off despite landing on their butts and their bikes had kept going without them.<p>

* * *

><p>Flash forward to the day of in-class science fair presentations...<p>

"So you're telling me," Miss Dunkirk asked, "in that one case, it **DID** work?"

She was pointing out that fact because Pedro had a 95 next to his name.

"Uh huh," Holly nodded at first, before shaking her head instead. "Uh, actually, no..."

"No?"

Her teacher looked confused.

"You see, Pedro and I did have fun together. But at the end of the day, we kinda mutually agreed that neither of us was ready for a long-time relationship. So for now, we're just friends."

"Okay, but Holly... that's not a 'no' answer."

"Technically, it's not a 'yes' answer, either."

Miss Dunkirk thought about it for a few seconds, and then said...

"Whatever. Good enough for me. You may take your seat, Holly."

Holly folded up her board and handed it to Miss Dunkirk, then made her way back to her seat.

_So I succeeded in completing my experiment, even if the results weren't as I thought they'd be. All I really learned was that I'm not ready for boys just yet._

"Psst... Holly!"

Holly turned to her right and saw Django was trying to get her attention.

"You know, you forgot to ask me."

Holly gasped. "Oh, right! You were absent the day I was going to pick you. I crossed your name off and just plain forgot."

"I see. Maybe some other time?"

"Yeah. Maybe when I'm into boys again."

"Okay."

The two shared a smile, then both turned their attention to the front of the room. Then, out of the blue, Django burst out with a...

"Wait... **WHAT?**"

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Just so you know... all of the numbers were the actual results that were outputted when each pairing with Holly was inputted. A lot of them ended up better than 50-50, as you can see... which I really can't explain. And, before you ask, Isabella-Holly was one of the higher numbers, and no, I'm not telling you what it was.<p>

And Pedro is an actual character in the show. Go check the P&F Wiki, he's there. Miss Dunkirk, though, totally made her up!


	7. Cupcake Wars, Part 1

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Can you believe we're at the two-part season finale already? Man, how time flies! Also, this is the first entry that requires you to have read my previous stories. Because in this chapter, I bring back a group referred to in "Phineas is Mine!" AND spoil the ending of "I'm Your Next Class President!" As you'd expect, this is also the first entry that takes place after that latter story.

You have been warned! I suggest you go read those stories before starting to read this week's entry.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>[Entry #380 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Guess what time of the year it is?]_

Milly and Katie were shining each others' shoes, Holly and Ginger were practicing flashing their cutest smiles, and Adyson and Gretchen were fluffing their berets as poofy as they could get them.

_It's the first day of the annual Fireside Girls Cupcake Drive! And it's going to be our troop's best year ever!_

Isabella taped a progress chart onto the wall, and at the top, under the word '**GOAL,**' she had written there, in black marker, $12,000.

(It's the most wonderful time... of the year!)

"Alright, girls... let's get out there and sell some cupcakes!"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #380 [FSD107] - Cupcake Wars (08.25.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_I love it when the calendar turns to June. Summer vacation starts in just a few weeks, but you can already feel it in the air at the beginning of the month? Why? Because June is when Fireside Girls troops across the country have their annual Cupcake Drive._

The girls were stationed at a booth they constructed themselves just outside the front entrance to the Superduper Mega Superstore. Milly and Katie were parading back and forth from one end of the sidewalk to the other. They were holding cardboard signs: Milly's read 'Fireside Girls Cupcake Drive,' while Katie's read 'Buy some cupcakes from some cupcakes!'

It was the first day of the drive, and already the line was three or four dozen deep at 10:30 on a Saturday morning. To minimize wait times as much as possible, Holly and Ginger were passing out catalogs and giving customers ideas of the most popular products as well as some new offerings. That left Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson to take orders at the booth itself.

"Thanks for supporting your local Fireside Girls!" Isabella said after finalizing another order.

Isabella scribbled a few more small details on the now filled-up order form, and then placed it on the side with the other two she already used up in the half-hour since they had opened up.

"**NEXT!**" she shouted, as she pulled out a fresh order form.

The next customer came up, and Isabella took their order.

_You're probably wanting to ask... "Isabella! Don't the Fireside Girls already sell cupcakes pretty much year round?" Yes. Yes, we do. But every June, we open up the catalog, and we offer types of cupcakes that people would buy by the barrel!_

Holly was seen pointing out both angel food and devil's food cupcakes in the catalog to customers in line, while Ginger was hard selling the bubblegum-flavored ones.

_Not to mention this is the only time we actually sell them IN barrels. You know, if you're a voracious eater. There's also the more reasonable half-dozen and full-dozen packs, for most of us._

* * *

><p>But the Superduper Mega Superstore was not the only place the girls would try to sell their cupcakes. One day, Gretchen, Ginger, and Holly were soliciting their baked goods in one of the city's many underground subway stations.<p>

"They're great for breakfast or a snack on the way home!" Ginger shouted to passersby.

_We're trying to do something this year Troop 46231 has **NEVER** done in the history of the Fireside Girls Cupcake Drive. Finish in the Top 3 in sales in the region._

* * *

><p>Another day, Milly and Katie were paired up again, this time setting up near the Food Court at the Googolplex Mall.<p>

_Last year, we finished in the Top 15 for the first time in the troop's history! We sold over $9,000 worth of cupcakes! That's a **LOT** of flour and frosting!_

* * *

><p>And even after school, Adyson and Isabella were taking orders right by the latter's own locker. Adyson was managing the line of students, while Isabella had one full of teachers.<p>

"Ah," Adyson smirked as she looked over at Isabella, "the perks of being popular **AND** class president!"

"They're not lining up because you endorsed the cupcakes," Isabella told her. "They're lining up because everyone **LOVES** our cupcakes!"

Suddenly, the principal showed up, and the hall quickly emptied, as both students and teachers ran for the exits. The adult seemed displeased as he looked left, then right, and then, upon seeing that the hallway was, indeed, completely empty except for the three of them...

He cracked a smile. And then he pulled a $5 bill out of his blazer pocket.

"The usual, girls."

* * *

><p><em>But reaching our goal would require a lot of hard work, perseverance, and a little outreaching. But even that wasn't enough for us to foresee another major obstacle in our way...<em>

11 days later, otherwise known as the first day of summer vacation...

"Okay, girls, let's make this quick!"

Isabella was standing at the podium inside the troop's secret forest clubhouse. Gretchen was arranging a sales update presentation off to Isabella's left, while Adyson, Holly, and Ginger were sitting in folding chairs, becoming quiet and attentive at the sound of their leader's voice.

"Say... where's Milly and Katie?"

Gretchen turned around to answer her superior's question.

"They volunteered for the early shift at the Megastore, Chief."

Suddenly, Milly and Katie burst into the clubhouse. Their breathing was ragged, they had dirt and a couple small bruises on their skin, and a few small tears in their uniforms and sashes.

"Unless Phineas and Ferb decided to make Girlbots and decided the first models would be of Milly and Katie," Adyson sarcastically quipped, "I think they forgot."

Before they could explain, though, both girls fainted in exhaustion. The others gasped in shock, but Isabella immediately had a plan of action.

"Holly! Ginger! Tend to the girls!"

Holly and Ginger ran off to get some water and the first-aid kit.

"Gretchen and Adyson... you're coming with me!"

"Where are we going, Chief?" asked Gretchen, although she already knew the answer.

"To get to the bottom of this!"

* * *

><p>Isabella, on inline skates, and Gretchen and Adyson, both riding bicycles, arrived at the Superduper Mega Superstore parking lot. A few seconds later, the sidewalk came into view, and they came to a stop upon catching sight of their targets. They were all girls who wore orange berets, orange shirts, and brown skirts.<p>

"It's another Fireside Girls troop!" pointed out Adyson.

"Not just any troop," Gretchen suddenly remembered. "That's Fireside Girls Troop 28933!"

"28933? Why does that number sound familiar?"

Isabella scowled. She definitely remembered that number.

"That's the troop that cheated in the final competition at last year's Jamboree! The one that beat us for first place, and that we had to appeal the decision of afterwards in order to get them rightfully disqualified!"

"They must have had a lot of turnover," observed Adyson. "I don't see any of the girls that were there last year..."

"Not so fast..."

Isabella had seen one she did recognize, and she started marching over to her. Gretchen and Adyson followed, and the girl in question saw the trio coming. She was tall, with light blonde hair that stopped at her shoulders, and she had a big bow on the front of her beret, just like Isabella's... only hers was blue, like her eyes.

"Excuse me, girls," she said as she got up and left the booth in her subordinates' capable hands.

She took about ten steps or so away from the booth and the line that had formed, and then turned to face Isabella and her troopmates as they came up to her.

"Isabella Garcia-Shapiro," the girl growled. "Come to ruin my life again?"

"I was about to say the same thing..." Isabella replied, before stating the blonde's full name. "Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry!"

"You tell your girls the next time they try to lay claim to our turf..."

"**YOUR** turf? Excuse me, but you're in Danville, which is the hometown of Troop 46231! Fireside Girls bylaws state that during the Cupcake Drive, no troop can set up a stand within 20 miles of another troop's lodge without prior, written consent from the latter troop's leader. That's me, sister, and I don't remember receiving any request from you to do so!"

"I don't need your permission. There's a special exemption that allows a troop to not require aforementioned permission from the local troop's leader as long as the local troop does not have possession of the visiting troop's chosen booth location upon their arrival **AND** said location is within 60 miles of visiting troop's own lodge. And I assure you, both of those facts are true!"

She snapped her fingers, and a dark-skinned girl with glasses, about Adyson's height, ran up with a rolled-up document in hand. She gave it to Elizabeth, then went back to where she had come from. Elizabeth then handed it to Isabella, who then handed it to Gretchen so she could look it over and verify its authenticity.

"The exemption became official last week, and that's a copy of the announcement. It's online as well, if you want to verify it."

"Oh, we'll verify it! Just you wait!"

Isabella and Gretchen turned to walk away. Adyson, though, seemed as if she wanted to stay and fight for their prime location. But she would not dare do it alone, or without Isabella's permission. So she settled for giving Elizabeth a dirty look before following her friends off.

"What are you doing?" Adyson asked frustratingly as she caught up to Isabella. "We've been selling from here since day one of the drive! We have firsties here, Isabella! Firsties!"

"It's just one location," Isabella calmly responded. "The tri-state area's pretty big, Adyson. We can still reach our goal without the Superstore."

That ended the conversation, as Isabella skated for the lot's exit. Gretchen followed on her bike, then Adyson, albeit reluctantly. As they disappeared from sight, Elizabeth walked back over to her troop.

And she had a satisfying smirk on her face.

_Obviously, I thought just letting them have the spot would be the end of this little debacle. After all, we won our appeal, and despite the actions of Elizabeth's troop, I was willing to forgive them for their transgressions._

_But I would later learn that letting her 'win' on that day would be a mistake that almost cost me... everything!_

**To be continued...**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So we're finally introduced to the troop that we learned at the beginning of "Phineas is Mine!" cheated to win 1st place at last year's Fireside Jamboree. You'll learn more about Elizabeth and Troop 28933 next week, and see why Isabella and her girls have reason to be concerned about them.<p>

See you next week for Part 2 of the season finale!


	8. Cupcake Wars, Part 2

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Time to pick up where we left off! Part two of the first "Fireside Diaries" double-entry. Hopefully it's not the only one?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>"Give it to me straight, Gretchen! What's our new outlook?"<p>

It was the day after Troop 46231 had their spot at the Superduper Mega Superstore swiped from them by Troop 28933. Gretchen and Adyson were in Isabella's backyard by the pool, trying to adjust their sales plan to not include the largest parking lot in the tri-state area.

"We will surely take a hit from not having the SMS," Gretchen told them, showing off a few charts, "but the good news is that we're now moving into the first delivery phase of the month. More than three-fifths of our sales last year were secondary and second-hand sales done during delivery. We may have to go hard-sell, but our preliminary goal of $12,000 is doable."

"So going without the SMS doesn't hurt us?" Isabella asked, pushing for more firm confirmation.

"No. But the SMS **DOES** help Troop 28933's numbers. I don't have all the required data yet, but I postulate that them using the SMS as their sales hub could push their sales numbers over $12,000, almost assuredly sealing their spot as a Top 3 selling troop in the region, instead of us."

Adyson was not pleased with that response, though, and she let Isabella know about it.

"So we just let them win? Nice leadership, oh fearless leader!"

"I told you, Ady! I've got everything under control!"

_Note to self. **NEVER** say you've got everything under control! Nine times out of ten, you don't._

**-**  
><strong>Entry #380-2 [FSD108] - Cupcake Wars, Part 2 (09.01.11)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

Two days later...

Isabella was skating in the suburbs. But not happily. She had a concerned look on her face as she skidded to a stop in front of a house that resembled hers, although it was a quarter of mile away from her actual abode. Milly and Katie were there, with a little red wagon loaded full with boxes of cupcakes. And again, like two days ago, she saw them dusty and with some small rips in their uniforms.

"I really should stop sticking you two together," commented Isabella, making a note to change delivery pairings later.

"It's not my fault!" exclaimed Katie. "Milly keeps holding up the boxes like this!"

Katie demonstrated by picking up a box and holding it up with the cupcakes facing outwards. Milly responded by snatching the box away from her.

"You have no right to talk!" grumbled Milly.

"Girls, **GIRLS!**" Isabella stepped in. "This is **NOT** how Fireside Girls are supposed to act!"

"Sorry," both of them apologized, bowing their heads in shame.

"Now... one of you please tell me what's actually going on!"

"Something wrong, Isabella?"

Isabella perked up, and then turned around to see Elizabeth standing there, with a smirk on her face. But she was not alone, as she also had the glasses-wearing, dark-haired, dark-skinned girl with her from the other day, as well as a short, jock-ish light-skinned brunette.

"Your girls got a slow start this morning," Elizabeth remarked, "so I had my girls Lauren and Abigail make the deliveries for them."

"Those are **OUR** customers!" Isabella exclaimed. "And... how did you know..."

"Your form-filling skills left a lot to be desired."

She help up a copy of a few of Isabella's troop's order forms. And these were not only missing the troop number on them, but the troop leader's signature as well.

"You can't do that!"

"It's like they say at school, girl... no name, no credit! Now, if you'll excuse me, my girls and I have $350 of new orders to call in."

With that, Elizabeth and her girls walked away. Isabella was now seething in anger. Troop 28933 was starting to get on her nerves.

* * *

><p>But things would get worse for Troop 46231, as Elizabeth and her troop began tapping into the area's tourist population, as well as the high-spenders in the more expensive parts of the area.<p>

_Troop 28933 started taking away our real estate, appealing to both those who were giving away money and those who had money to give._

Isabella and Gretchen observed from afar as they saw Elizabeth pitch Fireside Girls cupcakes as a beloved natural resource - one little white lie that succeeded in hooking none-the-wiser customers.

_They had the numbers, the resources, and the drive to out-hustle us to the big sales._

Isabella was with Adyson, and the two girls were in disguise - dressed in mustaches and trench coats - as Elizabeth's troop, 12 core members strong, canvassed all six corners of the busiest intersection in Danville... Little Shibuya, which resembled its Japanese equivalent. They were both amazed, as they had never been able to cover that much area at once.

_And they even started getting to our most die-hard customers!_

Elizabeth and Lauren were seen handing five boxes of cupcakes to Doctor Doofenshmirtz, who paid them in return. Once the transaction was done, the girls walked off... and Isabella and Milly popped up out of a nearby plant in the hallway. Milly was saddened seeing someone else delivering cupcakes to one of her favorite customers, while Isabella looked as if she was starting to see the writing on the wall...

* * *

><p>Isabella looked up at the progress chart on the wall. Her troop's goal was $12,000, but it was now the last day of the month, and they were only about halfway there.<p>

_Before I knew it, it was the last day of the Cupcake Drive. And Elizabeth and her girls had met their goal, while we were well short._

Isabella sighed in defeat, before walking to her nearby desk and looking down at the only order form turned in by her troop that morning. And it only had three orders on it. She sighed again, then glanced up at the photo of Eliza M. Feyersied, founder of the Fireside Girls, on the wall.

"I guess there's only one thing left to do..." Isabella said sadly.

She took her orange beret off of her head, stared at it for about a minute, then whipped out her cell phone to make some calls...

* * *

><p>Isabella skated up to the entrance of the Superduper Mega Superstore. As expected, she not only saw the core members of her troop waiting for her, but Elizabeth, Lauren, and Abigail as well.<p>

"About time!" Elizabeth grumbled. "Me and my girls want to get home before dinner!"

"Don't worry," Isabella told them as she took her helmet off. "This won't take long."

"What's going on, Chief?" Gretchen asked, unsure of why Isabella had called them all there.

Isabella turned towards Elizabeth. Then, to everyone's surprise, she pulled off her patch sash, folded it up, and presented it to her rival.

"What's this?"

"This is me surrendering, Elizabeth," replied Isabella. "You caught me by surprise and outsold my troop several times over. And... I couldn't think of a way to counter you."

She then turned to Gretchen and the others.

"I failed you, girls. Things just snowballed out of control, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Leaders aren't supposed to buckle under pressure. And yet, I did just that. That's why..."

She took a deep breath, and then said...

"...I'm quitting the Fireside Girls."

A collective gasp could be heard from the group, followed by shouts and cries of 'No!' and 'You can't!' Isabella ignored their pleas and turned around to offer her sash to Elizabeth once more.

"I know you wanted me gone after what happened after last year's Jamboree. So, congrats, and... you're getting what you want."

"Wow," gasped Elizabeth, stunned beyond belief. "I... I wasn't expecting this to come so easily. Even though my troop annihilated yours..."

Adyson grabbed Isabella and pulled her back.

"What are you doing? You can't quit!"

"Sorry, Adyson. But my mind's made up."

"Fine! You leave me no choice!"

Adyson took a deep breath, then said something she thought she would never say to Isabella's face.

"You **ARE** the perfect Fireside Girl! You're the glue that holds us all together! All of us would be lost without you! Especially me! I... I don't know what I'd do with my life if I didn't have someone as wonderful and genuine to idolize like you! You know the only reason I antagonize you a lot is because I want to push you to the top! You're special now, but you can still be even more! I may be class president, but I think you can be our country's first female president! That's how much I look up to you and believe in you! If you quit now, there will be no one around to push me to be a better person! I mean, look at everyone else in our troop! You think they can push me? No offense, girls."

"None taken!" the others said in reply.

Adyson grabbed Isabella by the arms, knelt before her, and looked up at her leader.

"What I'm trying to say, Izzy, is... there's no way I can lead this troop anywhere near as well as you! Please, I'm begging you... don't quit!"

Isabella felt a few tears trickle out of her eyes. She had never seen Adyson be so passionate about anything or anyone. Not until now.

"Are you gonna give me your sash or not?" interrupted Elizabeth, anxious to hit the road.

"**THERE THEY ARE!**"

Suddenly, an angry mob descended upon the group. And they had their sights set on Elizabeth and her girls.

"**WE WANT OUR CUPCAKES!**" the mob yelled. "**WHERE'S OUR CUPCAKES?**"

The trio found themselves surrounded, and Isabella and her troop were on the outside looking in, unsure of what was going on.

"I ordered a dozen watermelon cupcakes from you last week," a woman in her 40s shouted, "and I still haven't gotten them!"

Elizabeth turned to her subordinates, who each pulled out a two-inch binder filled with order forms, and they began searching through it to find the status of her order. After a minute, Abigail answered...

"Her... her order's not in here!"

"What?" Elizabeth questioned. "How? I remember her face, I took her order myself!"

"I bought two dozen chocolate ones ten days ago," a balding man in his 60s shouted.

Suddenly, a deluge of cries assaulted the girls from all directions, all of customers who had ordered from them, mostly from Elizabeth herself, anywhere from one to three-and-a-half weeks ago, and were all still cupcake-less.

"I remember!" Elizabeth recalled. "There were several days we had so many orders I did not know what to do with them, so I put them in ye old storage container!"

"Chief," pointed out Lauren. "That is a waste receptacle. That also happens to be empty."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide as she ran over and stuck her head into it.

"No! This was a storage container yesterday, I swear by the Queen's life, it was!"

"These girls don't know what they're doing!" shouted a man in his 20s. "Let's give our money to the girls we know we can trust and should've never abandoned in the first place!"

"**YEAH!**" agreed the mob.

The mob turned their sights on Troop 46231, and in seconds, they had surrounded Adyson and the girls, all shouting their orders over each other, pretty much making it impossible to hear anybody clearly. Isabella looked at Elizabeth, still in disbelief over making such a careless and egregious error, then over at Adyson, who was struggling to control the crowd and the rest of the troop. Isabella looked down at her sash, and then, after a few seconds, slipped it back on.

"Looks like you didn't win after all," Isabella said to Elizabeth. "I guess there's no substitute for experience! And, girl, that's something I'll always have more of than you! That, and great friends!"

Isabella then turned and ran into the crowd. She pulled out a megaphone and started shouting in it.

"**OKAY, EVERYONE, GET INTO THREE ORDERLY LINES!**"

As the crowd began to self-organize themselves, with the help of Gretchen and the others, Isabella walked over to Adyson, who presented her with a fresh stack of unfilled order forms.

"Good to see you sticking around," Adyson said with gratitude.

"You know you're hopeless without me," Isabella smiled coyly.

Adyson stuck her tongue out, and Isabella giggled in response.

* * *

><p><em>So we spent several hours that night filling it orders, and calling them all in before the midnight deadline. With the help of the local Fireside Girls Cupcake Factory, we got out more than half of the outstanding deliveries within 24 hours, and filled the entire pallet of orders within three days. When all was said and done, combined with all of our earlier orders, we had racked up more than $15,000 in sales! We ended up not only placing in the Top 3 in the region... we were #1!<em>

_As a result, we got a trip to this year's Fireside Girls Jamboree free of charge. But that's still a few weeks away. For now, I was more content on rewarding my girls with something simpler... dinner at a sit-down restaurant, on me!_

_As for Elizabeth and the other members of Troop 28933, I have a feeling that although this is the last time they try to step on our turf, this won't be the last time we see them._

_For now, though, I'll just worry about where to hang our new '#1 Cupcake Sellers, This Side of the Mississippi' banner._

**End Entry**  
><strong>End Season One<strong>

**Author's Notes:**  
>And that's a wrap on Season One! What? What do you mean? Well, if you haven't figured it out by now... there will be a second season of "Fireside Diaries!" Don't have a length or expected premiere date yet, but I have a few ideas already bubbling in my brain!<p>

That being said, if you love the series so far and there's something (or someone) you want to see, now's the time to tell me! I'm taking ideas and suggestions for Season Two, and if I use yours, I'll make sure to credit you appropriately.

I will also be linking to a poll on my profile page this Monday that covers all of the stories I've done this year. There will be a place in that poll to leave suggestions there as well, if you wish to remain anonymous.

Thanks for reading, please be kind and review, and be on the lookout for more "Phineas and Ferb" stories soon, both with and without the Fireside Girls!

- Freedom Fighter


	9. A Magical Bluebird

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Enough of you liked the first season that "Fireside Diaries" has returned for a second season! There's a lot more fun in store, so let's get right to it! Season 2 starts with one of the two girls who didn't get a solo story in Season 1... Katie! (Look for Milly's first tale a little later on...)

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>On a late afternoon in April, at the Fireside Girls' clubhouse in the woods...<p>

"Meeting adjourned!"

Isabella banged the gavel down on the podium, which ended the meeting. The girls began to head for the exit. Suddenly, the arm of one girl reached out to tap the left shoulder of a second.

"Katie..." Gretchen said to her. "Can you wait a sec?"

"Sure," nodded Katie.

The two of them sat down, with Gretchen reaching into her bookbag to pull out her tablet PC as she did. She brought it out of sleep mode, and it booted up to a set of charts detailing how many entries each girl had written for the troop's mini-blog.

"Remember how the two of us came up with the plan to turn the troop website into a blog of all our adventures? Y'know... two weeks ago?"

"Yeah?"

"I haven't gotten any from you, Katie! Everyone's doing their part! Isabella has nearly a third of the entries herself - and that's not counting the ones she posts on behalf of the entire troop! Katie, you've got to contribute to the website!"

"I would, but I'm not that interesting! I can't ride a unicycle..."

* * *

><p>Holly was riding on a unicycle, along a tightrope that was suspended above a bucket filled with mealworms that happened to be hanging above a tank filled with piranhas! To make it even more challenging, not only was it also raining, but she had blindfolded herself.<p>

* * *

><p>"...or be the Easter bunny..."<p>

* * *

><p>Adyson, dressed in a full head-and-body Easter bunny costume, lowered her head in embarrassment after having been talked into doing this gig.<p>

"Just... just give me my basket..."

Isabella instead pulled out a carrot and motioned for Adyson to take it.

"Not until you take a bite of this and say, 'Eh... what's up, Doc?'"

"**THAT'S NOT RIGHT AND YOU KNOW IT!**"

* * *

><p>"...or have tales of the things I'm doing to win over the boy of my dreams..."<p>

* * *

><p>Ginger was sitting quietly at an open table at the library, smiling gleefully with her fingers interlocked in front of her.<p>

"Now all I have to do is wait for Baljeet to show up..."

So she waited, and waited, and waited, and waited... until she got a phone call.

"Hello?" Ginger said as she answered her cell phone.

She heard Gretchen on the other end, asking where she was. She replied...

"I'm at the library."

Gretchen told Ginger something... and that sent her into a panicked frenzy.

"**WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS LIBRARY'S CLOSED ON SUNDAYS? THEN HOW DID I GET IN HERE?**"

* * *

><p>Katie chuckled. "Oh, Ginger. I worry about you sometimes."<p>

"Those are great and all," noted Gretchen, "but surely there's at least one story you're willing to share with our audience."

Katie scratched the head, trying to think of a story involving her that she could use. Suddenly...

"**I GOT ONE!** And it's going to be the bestest, best story **EVER**!"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #328 [FSD201] - The Magical Bluebird (01.09.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Entry #328 - Written by Katie_

_I was walking through the forest one beautiful spring day after school, planning to meet up with the rest of the girls at our secret clubhouse - which you should never tell anyone exists, 'cause it's a secret! I was supposed to be walking there with Ginger and Gretchen, but I told them that I had to go home first because I had left my uniform at home._

Katie waved goodbye as Ginger and Gretchen headed off. Once they were out of sight, though, Katie took off running left instead of right, in the opposite direction of her house.

_I lied. I just found out about this secret frozen yogurt place that just opened up a few days ago, and they were handing out free samples! I tried the banana strawberry... and it was beyond delicious! I never knew you could mix two fruits with yogurt **AND** freeze it! What will people think of next?_

Katie was so smitten with the free sample that she decided to buy some more to enjoy on the way...

_And the part about me lying? I know it's wrong, but I only did it because I wanted to try all the flavors first and make sure they were good before telling them about it. Oh, and those things are expensive..._

Katie gave $8.56, which was all the money she had on her, and got in exchange four small cups of frozen yogurt. Five minutes later, just as she was entering the forest, she was seen throwing the fourth and final cup in a nearby trash can, having eaten all of them herself.

_Did I mention it was **BEYOND** delicious?_

Katie looked down at her wristwatch and saw that it was already 3:40. She began walking at a faster pace.

"Oh, I hope the girls won't be mad at me for being late!"

She hurried along, not taking the time to smell the blooming flowers or admire the buzzing bees. The beauty of nature was not going to delay her from being any more tardy than she already was.

That was until a bluebird flew down from a tree and into her path, forcing her to stop before she could run into it.

"Whoa! You'd better be more careful, Mr. Bluebird. I almost sent you to the vet!"

The bluebird started chirping at Katie. But not in relief or in anger. It chirped at her in a worried tone. Hearing this, Katie asked...

"Is something wrong?"

The bird explained, in chirps, what the problem is. Katie carefully listened, even though she did not understand what he was saying, until he had finished his tale.

"That sounds great! Too bad I can't understand you. I wish I had Phineas and Ferb's animal translator on me."

The bluebird flapped his wings and started to fly off.

"That doesn't mean I won't help! Wait!"

Katie ran after the bluebird, forgetting about meeting up with her friends and instead focusing her attention on helping the woodland creature she had just met. To her surprise, she was not abandoning the girls after all. Because right at the moment she lost track of the bluebird - which was flying faster than she could run - she ended up finding Gretchen, who was lying face-down on the ground. And, by the looks of it, she was unconscious.

"Gretchen!"

Katie ran over, slipping the backpack she had on off of her shoulders and onto the ground as she did, and came to a stop next to Gretchen's body. Katie flipped Gretchen over so that the front of her body was facing up towards the sky. The blonde-haired girl quickly eyeballed her friend, and to her relief found that the brunette seemed uninjured. She only had small clumps of dirt and glass blades on her body. Suddenly, she heard Gretchen come to, groaning as she did. Katie quickly turned around, and leaned in to stop Gretchen, who was attempting to push herself up into a sitting position.

"Wait! You shouldn't be moving! You might have broken bones..."

"Katie, is that you?"

Gretchen sat up anyways, but she seemed to be squinting her eyes at Katie. And that was because she was having trouble seeing clearly. At that moment, Katie realized that Gretchen was missing something.

Her glasses.

"My glasses!" Gretchen cried, putting her hands on the ground and patting them around her in attempt to find them. "I can't see without my glasses!"

"Zoinks!" exclaimed Katie. "We'd, like, better find them!"

Gretchen continued to feel around on the ground next to her, while Katie took a few steps backward, retracing what she believed to be Gretchen's footprints. Even though she had no evidence of that being the case.

"One, two, three, four, five," she counted off the steps in her head.

**CRACK!**

Katie froze immediately. She gulped, then slowly looked down at her feet. She lifted her left one, the last to touch the ground, upwards. To her dismay, Gretchen's glasses - well, what was left of them - were underneath.

"I hope Gretchen was considering switching to contacts!"

"**OHHH! OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Gretchen began moaning in pain. Katie gulped again.

"Did she actually hear me?"

Gretchen moaned again, even louder this time. Excruciatingly loud.

_I wish that were the case. But instead, Gretchen was moaning about something else!_

Katie ran back over to her fellow troop member and saw Gretchen rolling back and forth on the ground; her hands grasping her stomach.

_And that something else..._

Katie watched in horror as Gretchen's nose and mouth disappeared and were replaced by a large toucan-like beak. Then, her arms and hands became substituted with pigeon-like wings. The rest of her head, body, and feet then changed appropriately as well, all until the transformation was complete.

"Tweet," chirped Gretchen, in bird-speak.

Gretchen stared at Katie, who was shocked in disbelief.

_...was Gretchen de-evolving... into a dodo bird!_

Katie had pulled her Fireside Girls Handbook out of her backpack and was turning it to the ornithology section.

"Hmmm... says here dodo birds are extinct!" she read aloud. "Boy, am I going to prove everyone wrong! I should tell somebody. Perhaps Phineas and Ferb, for some reason..."

She looked up from her book and saw Gretchen had turned and bolted while she was preoccupied.

"Wait! People will ask questions when they see you like that!"

Katie chased after Gretchen, but the latter's head start had put the former at a huge disadvantage.

* * *

><p><em>But try as I might, I could not catch up to Gretchen despite her short legs and her inability to fly. I did, however, manage to get to our secret clubhouse - which, again, you should pretend does not exist.<em>

Katie bent over, gasping for air as she rested her hands on her knees. Once she had recovered, she started walking for the door. But just before she could grab the doorknob...

"**HALT!**" a booming voice exclaimed, making Katie jump back in fright.

Katie spun around and gasped when a pink 12-foot dragon magically appeared before her.

"**WHO DARES TRESPASS? FIRESIDE GIRLS ONLY!**"

"But... I am a Fireside Girl!"

"**YOU'RE NOT WEARING A UNIFORM? THEREFORE, YOU CANNOT BE ONE!**"

"There's no such rule saying you always have to wear it!" argued Katie, holding up the Handbook as proof. "So, let me in!"

"**YOU MUST FIRST PASS A TEST!**"

Katie thought about it for a second, then asked...

"Why?"

The dragon, taken aback by the question, now was the one who had to pause to think of a response.

"Wow..." she said, in a more-normal-volume voice. "No one's ever asked me why. Uh..."

Katie sat down on a nearby tree stump and waited for several minutes for the dragon to finish her sentence.

"**NEVER MIND!**" the dragon shouted in exasperation. "**NOBODY CARES WHY, EVERYBODY CARES WHETHER YOU PASS THE TEST OR NOW!**"

A paper airplane flew out of the dragon's mouth, and it landed on the ground in front of Katie. She picked it up and started to unfold it.

"**ANSWER THIS MATH CHALLENGE AND YOU WILL PASS!**"

"Hmmm..." Katie murmured, before reading the 'challenge' aloud. "'3a + 2b + 17x + 5 = a - 4y + 6z + 25. Solve for z.'"

Katie looked up quizzically at the dragon.

"I thought you said **MATH**! Since when does math have letters?"

"**OOPS!**" the dragon apologized. "**THAT'S MEANT FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS!**"

A second paper airplane emerged and crashed before Katie. She unfolded it and saw that it read 'What is 0 x 5?'

"Great!" Katie thought to herself. "Why did I pick now, of all times, to forget my zero times tables? Quick, say something! The dragon's staring at you!"

Katie took a deep breath, then... picked up a pebble off the ground and threw it at the dragon's head!

"Yes!" she cheered a little inside.

The pebble ended up going through the dragon's head and into a tree branch behind it... where it ended up hitting something solid.

"**OW!**"

Two things then fell from that branch... a one-button remote control and a pink, scaly... sausage? The control shattered upon hitting the ground, while the sausage landed on its head. The dragon disappeared from view.

"What the..."

Katie ran over and saw that the sausage was actually the pink dragon. Only this one happened to be just nine inches tall.

"You **DO** realize this is a 'comedic violence only' story, right?" the dragon asked as she got up, rubbing the one-inch bump atop her head.

"This is a story?" Katie asked in reply. "Oh, and hi, Ginger!"

Ginger gasped. "How did you know?"

"Never mind! Why are you a dragon? Has Gretchen always secretly been a dodo bird? And where is everybody else?"

"Beats me. You're the one telling this story."

"Again... this is a story?"

Suddenly, the two heard chirping above them, in the tree Ginger had fallen from. They looked up, and Katie saw the bluebird that had flown into her earlier.

"Ooh, bluebird!"

It then took off, attempting another getaway.

"I bet that bluebird knows! Let's catch him!"

Katie grabbed Ginger with one hand, then her backpack with the other, and took off once more.

* * *

><p><em>So we chased after the bluebird, going deeper into the forest...<em>

But as Katie and Ginger proceeded onward, their path got darker and darker, due to the fact that the forest was getting so dense that nearly all the sunlight was being kept out. It did not help matters that there were vines clogging up their path. Ginger had climbed up onto Katie's right shoulder to get a better view.

"Oh!" Katie suddenly came up with an idea. "Ginger, you're a dragon, right? You can clear our path with some fire, right?"

"And start a forest fire?" gasped Ginger. "That's against our code! Oh, and I don't breathe fire anyway."

Katie glared at Ginger. "What kind of dragon doesn't breathe fire?"

"Wait!" Ginger quickly changed the subject. "Where's the bluebird?"

Katie stopped. She looked left, right, in front, and behind her. The bluebird was gone.

"If this were a game of 'Tag,'" commented Ginger. "You'd always be 'It.'"

"**HELP!**" they heard someone scream from nearby. "**I'M STUCK!**"

The two girls - well, the girl and the dragon - looked at each other and gasped. They knew whose voice was calling out to them.

"**ISABELLA!**"

They followed their leader's voice until they found the source.

"Whoa..." Katie gasped upon seeing Isabella.

_Like Gretchen and Ginger, Isabella had been transformed. She was no longer a girl like me. She was now... a magical unicorn!_

Sure enough, Isabella was a glistening white unicorn - one that also happened to keep her long-flowing black, human hair. Unfortunately, it looked as if she had had a rough day, as she had dirt on her face and all four of her legs were entangled in vines.

"When I said I'd love to meet a unicorn today," Isabella thought out loud, "I'm pretty sure I wasn't thinking it would be me!"

"How did this happen?" queried Katie.

"I dunno," Isabella shrugged. "One minute I was talking to Adyson, and the next, I was here!"

"At least you're pretty!" huffed Ginger, who crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm a dragon! **A DRAGON!**"

Isabella raised an eyebrow curiously. "Aren't dragons... bigger?"

Katie cooed. "I think Ginger looks cute small!"

"Weren't you **JUST** unhappy about me not being able to breathe fire?" countered Ginger.

"That's all in the past! Let's get Isabella free, and then track down that bluebird!"

_So Ginger and I unwrapped the vines from around Isabella's legs._

Once Isabella was free, she stretched each of her four legs out, one at a time.

"Aah! It feels good to be free! So... now what?"

Isabella looked at Katie, waiting for her to give direction.

"Wait... you want me to lead?"

"You seem to know what's going on more than me."

Katie flashed an exuberant smile. "Okay, then!"

Isabella squatted down so that Katie could climb onto her back.

"Okay, Katie!" Isabella shouted. "Tell me what to do!"

Katie nodded. "We were chasing a bluebird. I'm sure if we catch him, he can tell us what we're doing."

Isabella closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Katie watched as Isabella's horn began to light up like a disco ball.

"I... I think I've picked up her magical signature!"

Without warning, Isabella began to lift off of the ground, with Katie riding on her back and Ginger still gripping onto Katie's shoulder. Isabella continued to track the signal, using her magical powers to fly towards the trees and phase them through them, as if they were not there at all.

"Cool!" exclaimed Katie in reference to Isabella.

* * *

><p>The trio emerged from the forest, and as they did, they saw the start of a rainbow before them. Isabella landed safely on it, then began walking forward. Katie was stunned with glee, as no words could describe how she was feeling as Isabella carried them over the rainbow.<p>

Five minutes later, they reached the top of the rainbow. Katie, Isabella, and Ginger took in a minute to admire the view of the entire Tri-State Area. But they could not stay up there all day, as they were still searching for the bluebird. There was no way they would all be able to change back to normal if they could not find him.

* * *

><p>"Is that... what I think it is?"<p>

The trio was nearing the other end of the rainbow, and Katie had spotted something waiting for them. It was... a pot full of gold coins! Isabella jumped off a few feet short of the end, landing safely and comfortably on all four legs. Katie slid off Isabella's right side - surprising Ginger, who fell off and suffered another landing on the ground on her head - and sprinted for the black cauldron.

"**STOP!**"

Someone appeared in front of Katie, blocking her path. The blonde girl skidded to a halt just inches away from the newcomer.

"Why you tryin' to take away me pot o' gold, stranger?"

Before Katie stood Adyson, dressed like a leprechaun, complete with red hair and a beard. One that Katie had to touch to make sure it was real...

"Are you daft, lassie?" Adyson asked, slapping Katie's hand away.

"I just wanted to see if it was..."

"Real? Yep, it be as real as the hair between me toes!"

Katie cringed in disgust.

"Now, again... why you tryin' to take away me pot o' gold?"

"We weren't!" Katie exclaimed, as Isabella and Ginger trotted up behind her. "We're just looking for a bluebird!"

"You mean that one?" cut in Isabella, who pointed a hoof at the top of the pot.

Everyone turned in the direction she was pointing, and sure enough, the bluebird had come to rest atop Adyson's gold.

"The bluebird wants me pot o' gold? The fiend!"

"Get it!" Katie shouted.

All four of them leaped at the bluebird, attempting to catch it...

_Will Katie the human, Isabella the unicorn, Ginger the dragon, and Adyson the leprechaun catch the bluebird? Will the bluebird tell them what's going on? And where did Gretchen the dodo bird go? Find out in my next diary entry, coming soon!_  
><em>- Katie, member of Fireside Girls Troop 46231<em>

* * *

><p>At the next meeting after Katie's entry had been posted to the website, she was approached at the clubhouse in the woods by Gretchen. She was carrying a hard copy of Katie's entry in her left hand.<p>

"So... I see you read it!" Katie said with a smile on her face. "You like it?"

Unfortunately, the frown on her face indicated that she did not.

"I like it, but you **DO** realize these are supposed to be tales of factual truth, right?" asked Gretchen.

Katie replied, sheepishly, "It's mostly truth..."

"**I DON'T HAVE HAIR BETWEEN MY TOES!**" Adyson shouted from the other side of the room.

"We'll leave it up," Gretchen said as she handed the copy to Katie, "but no more fantasy stories, okay?"

With that, Gretchen walked off. Katie stood there for a minute, staring at her story. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Milly standing there.

"I liked it! You should write more!"

"But Gretchen said I couldn't!"

"She said 'not for the troop site!' She didn't say for anywhere else!"

Katie smiled mischievously.

"Say... wanna help me write Part Two?"

Milly nodded without hesitation, and then the two girls ran for the clubhouse exit in order to begin work on their new project.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So with Katie, I decided to go a little whimsical and have her write an entry "out of the ordinary," or unexpected of her. Too bad she's probably not going to write anymore... at least for "Fireside Diaries," anyway.<p>

Let me know what you thought of this, as always, and make sure you stay buckled in. New entries premiere Mondays, right here! Until next week, see ya!


	10. Rivalry Racket

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

A new feature you're going to see this season are 'tandem' diary entries. These are entries that are written by two Fireside Girls, each of which shares in the production of the entry, especially since both are involved heavily in the events of said entry.

There's no better way to give this new feature a test spin than to give it to the troop's two most popular girls! Take it away, Isabella and Adyson!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these before reading this):**  
>- Entry #093-1 ("Phineas is Mine!," Chapter 1)<br>- Entry #365 ("I'm Your Next Class President!")  
>- Entry #380 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 107 &amp; 108)<p>

* * *

><p>It was a beautiful and sunny June afternoon. A day so bright, there was no better way to spend it than playing tennis. And that was exactly what Isabella and Adyson were doing, as they were currently engaged in a friendly doubles match.<p>

_Entry #386 - Co-Written by Isabella and Adyson_

_(Isabella) It was just an ordinary summer day..._

_(Adyson) ...but we were about to make it **EXTRA**-ordinary!_

Adyson sprinted to her left and used her powerful backhand to keep the ball from bouncing out of play. It sailed over the net, and headed in the direction of Baljeet, who stood flat-footed with both hands on the handle of his racket. Suddenly, his doubles partner, Buford, shoulder-rammed into him, knocking him out of the way. The bully took it upon himself to return the volley, swinging his racket like it was a baseball bat. The ball hit the racket's strings exactly at dead center, and as a result, it went rocketing back over the net.

Adyson watched as it zoomed by, well out of her reach to get to. It would be up to Isabella to save them. The black-haired girl stood near the back right corner of the court, watching the ball come at her while simultaneously thinking about how to return it. She then raced into position, and used a precision backhand shot of her own to send the ball back. It was a line drive hit that cleared the top of the net by what had to be less than an inch. With Baljeet down and Buford out of position, the ball easily landed in-bounds with no shot for them to recover. That lead Isabella to jump for joy and declare...

"We win!"

"Nice shot, Izzy!" Adyson exclaimed.

"No fair!" Buford growled. "Rematch!"

Adyson groaned as the four of them walked towards the bench. "Oh, come on! You've had three already!"

"What's one more?"

Isabella sighed. "Besides, we've gotta meet up with the girls in 30. You should thank us for not holding you to that 'losers buy winners snacks' bet."

"On that note," cut in Baljeet, "have you and Adyson considered entering the All-Tri-State Area girls' doubles tennis tournament?"

He pointed to a poster taped to the fence. The girls walked over to take a look at it.

"'First-place wins $500!'" Baljeet read aloud.

"I dunno," hesitated Isabella.

But Adyson already was convinced, and knew of a way to convince Isabella to as well - by using the Fireside Girls Handbook.

"Winning helps us qualify for a Terrific Tennis Talent Patch!"

"In that case, let's do it!"

_(A) And with that, we had a new goal to strive for this week!_

_(I) To win a tennis tournament!_

**-**  
><strong>Entry #386 [FSD202] - Rivalry Racket (01.16.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_(A) And so, after a few days of training..._

Isabella and Adyson walked out of the tunnel at the Jefferson County Country Club's main court, which was situated inside a small, outdoor arena that could house up to 1800 spectators. And it sounded as if every one of them was cheering for the pair as they emerged.

"Trouble at ten o'clock!" snapped Isabella.

Adyson turned in that direction and saw what Isabella was referring to. It was trouble indeed, in the form of two girls their age - a tall blonde and a short brunette - and they both had ego-inflating smirks on their faces.

"Isabella Garcia-Shapiro!" the blonde growled.

"And Adyson Sweetwater," stated the brunette. She then added, sarcastically, "our two favorite girls!"

"You ruined the Jamboree for us last year, and then the Cupcake Drive a couple weeks ago! Now you won't even let us win a simple tennis tournament?"

"It's a free country!" replied Isabella, with her hands on her hips. "Besides, Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry... nobody says you two have wo-"

"Are we **REALLY** going to do 'first name, last name?'" interrupted Adyson. "Because I don't know hers."

She pointed at the brunette.

"My last name?"

"And your first name!"

"Well, it's Abigail S-"

"**OUTTA MY WAY!**" shouted Candace, pushing her way through the foursome. "**THE WINNER, COMIN' THROUGH!**"

Candace split the group, walking between them and dragging her racket on the ground behind her. Her partner, Stacy, walked up to the group and gave them an apologetic look before continuing on.

Once the two teenagers were out of hearing range, Elizabeth spoke up again.

"I don't care how many friends you two have... that trophy, and those Terrific Tennis Talent Patches will be ours!"

Elizabeth and Abigail walked off to get ready for the tournament. Isabella took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and not let her rivals get her and Adyson riled up.

"Okay!" she said cheerfully once she had gotten her focus. "Elizabeth and Abigail will be our biggest competition, as well as Candace and Stacy. Then again, this **IS** our first tennis tournament, and we don't know what the rest of the field can do, so it's imperative that we not look past anyone..."

Isabella stopped when she realized that Adyson was not next to her, listening to her. Instead, the brunette was over by a section of the stands, where a few dozen kids were wearing shirts, baseball caps, and pins that all had Adyson's face on it. The half-dozen guys sitting in the front row were tying a banner to the front of the railing. It read 'Sixth-Grade Class President Adyson Sweetwater Fan Club.'

"...or get a big head," Isabella said, rolling her eyes.

"Isabella!"

Isabella turned her attention to the right, and saw Phineas calling out to her amongst a smaller group next to Adyson's fan club.

"Good luck! I'll be rooting for you!"

Isabella sighed as little hearts appeared in her eyes.

"Oh, Phineas..."

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, Isabella and Adyson were among numerous teams heading for the outer courts of the facility. These courts, eight in total, were each separated by a fence that surrounded it. They each had two sets of bleachers, all on one side of the court, each of which fit only about 50 people maximum.<p>

Isabella was going over the rule pamphlet with Adyson, as a small portion of their fan clubs followed behind.

"So, according to the rules, this is a single-elimination tournament. All matches are best-of-five games, meaning the first team to win three games, wins the match, and moves on. It takes five match victories to win the tournament."

"Sounds easy enough."

They arrived at Court 6, where their first-round match would take place. Immediately upon stepping on the court, though, they noticed that an opposing pair was not waiting for them. Nor did they see one coming in. There were two pairs standing outside the gates, but they had been drawn to play against each other in the next match. As Isabella and Adyson got to the players' bench, which was on the side of the court opposite of the bleachers, Isabella turned in their flash card with the number they had drawn back at the stadium.

"Entry 14, Isabella and Adyson..." the chair umpire stated as he verified the card. "Okay, where's Entry 13? Entry 13?"

Everyone looked around, waiting to see where the other team was. Finally, they heard two girls screaming...

"**WAIT! WE'RE COMING!**"

To Isabella and Adyson's shock, they saw Milly and Katie running in, with their rackets in hand. Even though Isabella clearly saw the '13' card in Milly's hand, it still did not register in her mind that their first opponents were members of her own troop. Members that she was not even aware could also play tennis. But who could blame her for being skeptical?

After all, Milly and Katie were wearing kitchen aprons, with the logo for 'Chef Guilbaud's Cooking School' on them, over their tennis outfits.

"I'm pretty sure sponsors aren't allowed in amateur tournaments," playfully chided Adyson.

"We had no choice!" Katie tried to explain as Milly went to hand their entry card over to the umpire. "The tournament's on the same day as our remedial cooking class final exam!"

"Why didn't you just withdraw?" questioned Isabella.

"Because we want those Tennis Patches as much as you two do! And we think we can do that **AND** pass that final so that ban that keeps us out of the kitchen can be lifted!"

"I miss making homemade cupcakes!" Milly exclaimed as she walked over as she had her hands behind her back, untying her apron. "**I MISS IT, GIRLS!**"

"Well," Isabella warned, "don't expect us to go easy on you."

"Don't worry! You may have not seen us play, but we can take anything you can throw at us!"

* * *

><p>Considerably less than 20 minutes later...<p>

"Boy," Milly blushed in embarrassment, "did we lay an egg or what?"

"I say we got caught... with egg on her face," sighed a disappointed Katie.

They walked to the net and reached over to shake hands with Isabella and Adyson, who had defeated them without breaking a sweat... or giving up a single point.

"I guess we caught you two on a bad day," commented Adyson.

"Look on the bright side," Isabella told them. "At least you failed this, and **NOT** your cooking final."

Milly and Katie gasped.

"**THE FINAL! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!**"

They got their aprons and ran off of the court, heading in the direction of downtown Danville. Isabella and Adyson watched them until Milly and Katie disappeared from sight.

Or at least until the sound of slow, mock-filled applause filled their ears, from the other side of the fence behind them. They turned about and saw that it was coming from Elizabeth and Abigail.

"That only took you lasses eight minutes to dispatch your friends," Elizabeth said, looking down at her stopwatch. She then turned to her partner, Abigail. "Abby, how long did our match take?"

Abigail smirked. "Only half that."

"This isn't a race!" exclaimed Adyson.

"We happen to think so. People pay attention when you do things fast!"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Heh. As you Yanks would say, 'Whatever!' But no matter... we'll prove it to you on the court. Just don't lose before the final, okay?"

Elizabeth and Abigail then headed off, already mentally preparing for their second-round match.

"Oh, you bet we won't!" Isabella said.

* * *

><p><em>(A) And so, Isabella and I were off! We barreled through the second round, then the third, then the fourth, then the fifth, then...<em>

_(I) Uh, Adyson? There are only five rounds._

_(A) Oh, come on! I was on a roll!_

_(I) Speaking of rolls, Elizabeth and Abigail sure were on one! They practically breezed through the tournament, making it to the title match without dropping a single game._

_(A) They must've had an easy draw. Us, on the other hand..._

* * *

><p>"Holly!" Gretchen shouted out to her fellow Fireside Girl, waving at her.<p>

Holly saw Gretchen waving at her, and found her way to where she was in the stands, with the rest of Isabella and Adyson's supporters. On the court, the semifinal match was in its fifth and deciding game, with the score 30-all. Adyson was serving, aiming her shot cross-court to Candace, who was in the back.

Adyson hit the ball as hard as she could, but probably a bit much, as Candace saw the shot was going long and she wisely let it pass. Adyson did not let the fault trip her up, and she got a new ball and prepared to serve again. This time, Adyson only hit it at about three-fourths power. The ball made a bee-line for the sideline nearest the umpire. Candace took a step to her right, then stopped, and watched the ball land just on the outside of the line. But...

"**IN!**" the umpire declared.

Not liking the call, Candace angrily took a step towards the umpire and pointed down at the ground to where she saw the ball land. But...

"**IN!**"

In rage, Candace immediately threw her racket aside and stomped towards the umpire to argue her point. Stacy ran over from her spot on the court to stop her, while Isabella and Adyson just watched.

"You **CANNOT** be serious!" Candace yelled at him. "That was out! **OUT!**"

"It was clearly in."

"Are you **BLIND**? It was out by a mile! Open your eyes, grandpa, that was out! **O-W-T, OUT, OUT, OUT!**"

"Candace!" Stacy exclaimed as she grabbed her partner and tried to pull her away.

Candace pulled away from Stacy, but nevertheless she calmly walked off the court to get her racket. She then started heading to the sport where the ball landed out and pointed it out to the crowd, trying to get them to believe she was right. Still...

"40-30," the umpire ruled. "Also, code of conduct violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, Miss Flynn."

Candace walked back past the umpire's chair, turning to look up at him once again.

"You're blind as a bat! **BLIND AS A BAT!** I'll bust you for this! **I'LL BUST YOU!**"

Stacy reached for Candace again, and this time managed to pull her away. As Stacy tried to calm her partner down, again Isabella and Adyson were stunned at the call, as well as Candace's reaction, and they did not know what to do. Except be quiet.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately for Candace and Stacy, Isabella and Adyson would win the match on the next point, enabling an all-Fireside affair to take place in the championship round. And after a brief rest period...<p>

"**LET THE MATCH BEGIN!**" yelled the umpire.

The crowd watched the match go back and forth, both sides trading points. Isabella, Adyson, Elizabeth, and Abigail were giving their all, putting everything they had into every serve, volley, and save. Supporters for both sides were cheering as loud as they could during breaks, and watching with unwavering focus whenever the ball was in play.

As the match wore on, though, Elizabeth and Abigail appeared to be tiring faster than Isabella and Adyson. They had expended most of the energy earning one-nil and two-one game leads, and they had troubling looks on their faces, not comfortable with been pushed to their limits after cruising through their first four matches.

Now the match was tied at two games apiece, and even though the girls of Troop 26933 were trying to hang in there, the pair from Troop 46231 knew they had the advantage. Adyson looked back at Isabella and smiled.

"I think we've got them on the ropes, Izzy!"

Elizabeth served the ball, hitting it with her racket as hard as she could. But her hit was a tad late, which meant instead of going where it was intended to, it barreled straight for Adyson's head. And she failed to notice...

"Adyson, **LOOK OUT!**"

...until it was too late.

**BONK!**

The tennis ball clocked Adyson upside the head. The crowd gasped as the ball fell to the ground and Adyson stood there for a second, completely motionless.

And then she fell to the ground.

"**ADYSON!**"

A loud gasp could be heard from the crowd as Isabella ran over to her partner. Elizabeth was shocked in disbelief.

"Nice shot," Abigail smirked, patting Elizabeth on the back.

Elizabeth was not happy that she was being congratulated, though.

"What's wrong with ye?" Elizabeth growled. "That was **NOT** something to be proud of! She could really be hurt, you know!"

Isabella was helping Adyson sit up on the court.

"You okay? Do you see salamanders?"

Adyson shook her head back and forth, then looked up at Isabella.

"Salamanders? Girl, are you crazy?"

Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. "She's alright!"

The crowd cheered as Isabella pulled Adyson to her feet. Adyson dusted herself off, then picked her racket up.

"You are alright, right?" Isabella whispered.

"It'll take more than that to knock me out!" exclaimed Adyson.

"15-love," stated the umpire.

Adyson walked towards the back line, to prepare to receive Elizabeth's next serve. The Brit girl hit the ball into play, Adyson took a hard swing at it...

...and she missed.

"30-love."

Elizabeth was proud to get another ace - this one more legitimate than the last - while Adyson scratched her head, mystified as to how she missed that ball. Elizabeth served once more, this time hitting to Isabella. Isabella fielded it on the short hop, sending it back over the net. Abigail tried to counter with a live drive, but she popped the ball up instead. And it was heading straight for...

"**ADYSON!**"

Adyson raised her racket over her head, ready to slam it back over for a surefire point. She swung...

...and missed again. The ball hit the ground in-bounds behind her, and then out.

"40-love. Triple championship point!"

Elizabeth and Abigail could feel it. They were one point away from winning the tournament! Elizabeth wanted to celebrate right there and then, but then she saw Isabella walk over to Adyson to check on her condition once more... she instead began to have second thoughts.

"Abigail."

"What?"

Elizabeth pointed at their opponents. Adyson was shaking her head as Isabella tried to encourage her to keep fighting. Elizabeth could tell just by looking at Adyson's eyes that that blow to the head had hurt her more than she was letting on. She felt something inside her begin to ache. She knew what it was, and she knew what she had to do.

"You're not thinkin' 'bout doing what I think you be thinkin' 'bout doing, are you?" asked Abigail.

"We'd be doing ourselves a great dishonor to not!" replied Elizabeth.

Abigail sighed. "You're right, that you are."

"I keep telling you, I'm fine!" Adyson told Isabella, even as she pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead.

"You obviously aren't!" Isabella objected. "You'd **NEVER** miss an easy shot like that!"

Isabella then saw Elizabeth and Abigail, out of the corner of her eye, walking to the umpire's chair. Isabella could not hear what Elizabeth was saying to him, but she did see that the umpire looked shocked as to what he was hearing. The girls then headed back to their bench, and the umpire made an announcement.

"Miss Elizabeth and Miss Abigail are withdrawing from the match!"

The stadium was confused over their sudden exit. The two of them gathered their things and headed for the tunnel. They could hear murmurs and jeers begin to come from the crowd as they disappeared out of sight. But they ignored them, marching out proudly with their heads held up high.

"Elizabeth!"

They stopped, and turned around to see Isabella had caught up to them.

"Why are you quitting?" Isabella asked, point-blank. "Fireside Girls don't quit!"

"But Fireside Girls **ALSO** promote being fair," responded Elizabeth. "And it would not be so to take advantage of any opponent not at her full strength by fault not of her own! I know now that sometimes it's not the right thing to do to follow every rule."

"Wha?" Abigail looked curiously at her superior. "But, but..."

"We will be taking our leave," Elizabeth continued, ignoring her partner's small protest. "Consider this a gift, dear. Because the next time we meet, me and my troop shall be victorious!"

With that, the two girls exited, leaving Isabella alone in the tunnel.

"I shoulda known," she admitted with a smirk. "All Fireside Girls have hearts of gold. Even her."

Suddenly, she felt a tap on her arm. She turned around and saw Gretchen standing there.

"C'mon, Chief! You're gonna miss the trophy presentation!"

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Isabella and Adyson had in their possession a first-place trophy, a $500 check made out in their names, and a pair of brand-spanking new Terrific Tennis Talent Patches. And they were showing off their new gains to their family, friends, and fan clubs.<p>

_(I) And that's how we won a tennis tournament!_

_(A) Yep! Even though I did most of the work._

_(I) If you consider getting hit in the head by an 80-mile per hour tennis ball 'work.' Anyway, we learned that when we work together, Adyson and I can do anything!_

_(A) We also learned that Elizabeth and Abigail aren't all that bad, either. Who would've thought?_

_(I) But most important of all, we learned that, for her own safety, we're making Adyson wear a helmet._

_(A) Yeah. We... wait, what?_

_(I) I thought you said you can make any accessory look good on you!_

_(A) Not a helmet!_

_(I) Put it on!_

_(A) No!_

_(I) Adyson!_

_(A) Isabella!_

_(I) Stop running!_

_(A) You stop first!_

_(I) How are we still typing this?_

_(A) I don't know!_

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>I'll admit, this did not turn out as well as I had hoped, but it had to be done. I needed to have Elizabeth and Abigail make an appearance early in the season to set up for a couple episodes later on. I also needed to show off an escapade in which Isabella and Adyson worked well together - since they'll be having a few conflicts with each other later on as well.<p>

This episode also partially takes place concurrently with next week's, which you got a taste of with Milly and Katie's reveal. Come back in seven to see what that's all about!


	11. Cake Boss

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, how are you guys liking the longer episodes? Good or bad?

This is also the second tandem episode of the season, and some events of this episode take place at the same time as last week's episode! Don't get mixed up! Milly and Katie will be doing enough of that themselves...

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these before reading this):**  
>- Entries #093-6-8 ("Phineas is Mine!," Chapters 6-8)<br>- Entry #365-5 ("I'm Your Next Class President!," Chapter 5)

**Concurrent with (means can be read along with):**  
>- Entry #386 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 202)<p>

* * *

><p>"Moment of truth," Milly told Katie, as she placed a hand on the doorknob. "Ready?"<p>

Katie nodded. She then put her own hand on the knob, over Milly's.

"Milly... in case we don't get through this alive..."

"Yes?"

"I'd just like to say that it's been a pleasure cooking with you."

With that, the two girls turned the knob in unison. The door swung open, and they stepped outside to a small crowd of a few dozen, including their teacher, Chef Guilbaud. The chef pointed to a nearby table, where three people were sitting, and serving as judges: a balding man in his late 40s, an unkempt adult male in his mid-20s, and Ginger. The two men seemed pleased to be there, while Ginger was an unwilling participant in all this. If the ropes tied around her body and her legs were any indication, which they were.

Before each of them was a paper plate with a rectangular-shaped slice of strawberry shortcake on it, as well as plastic utensils. All three judges, including Ginger, quickly sliced off a piece and raised it towards their mouths with their forks.

And then...

**-**  
><strong>Entry #387 [FSD203] - Cake Boss (01.23.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Entry #387 - Co-Written by Milly and Katie_

_(Milly) As you probably know by now, we've had problems... baking._

_(Katie) Like the time I tried to win Phineas' heart by making him a cake..._

* * *

><p>"You know how the recipe for the frosting on the cake called for vanilla extract?"<p>

"Yeah. So?"

"**IT WAS RAT POISON!**"

"The cake... that Adyson... is touching... right now?"

Ginger shook her head, wondering why Katie would say that... until Katie ran past her and back towards the table.

"**THE CAKE!**" Katie shouted. "**IT'S GOING TO KILL YOU!**"

* * *

><p><em>(M) Or the time we baked muffins to give out during my class president campaign...<em>

* * *

><p>"You know those muffins we gave out? Yeah... poisonous mushroom spores."<p>

"How? My mom bought those!"

"Did you **WASH THEM** before you put them in the batter?"

Milly was confused.

"Wait, you have to **WASH** them?"

* * *

><p><em>(K) And then there was the Fireside Girls' Bake Sale...<em>

_(M) Ohhhhh, why'd you have to bring **THAT** up?_

* * *

><p>Four ambulances pulled away from the bake sale site, each carrying two very sick children. Isabella was glaring at Milly and Katie, who were standing sheepishly behind their table.<p>

"Care to explain?" she asked, with her hands on her hips.

Milly held up one of the index cards Isabella had given her earlier in the week. It read 'Do put nuts in your baked goods.'

"Really, girls? **REALLY?**"

Isabella saw that Milly's thumb was covering up a word on the card. She promptly moved it, and the girls saw that the now-visible word was 'not.' As in, 'Do not put nuts in your baked goods.'

"Ohhhhhh..." Katie grunted. "Now mine makes sense!"

She held up her card, which read 'The customers here are allergic to nuts.'

* * *

><p><em>(M) I have no idea what we're thinking that day.<em>

_(K) I still don't know what we were thinking that week!_

_(M) Anyway, as you might've guessed, because of our snafus, both Katie and I have been banned from stepping foot in a kitchen until we turn 18._

_(K) Who knew you could get banned from a kitchen?_

_(M) Not me, that's for sure. Luckily, there was a way out..._

Milly and Katie were currently standing in front of the entrance to Chef Guilbaud's Cooking School.

"This won't be too bad, right?"

"Relax! I've been here before, remember? I heard they hold a Remedial Cooking Class here! And it just so happens that the first class is **TODAY**! All we have to do is pass the class, and we get our kitchen ban lifted!"

"Sounds foolproof, Katie! Nothing can go wrong!"

* * *

><p>"<strong>NO!<strong>"

The girls had shown up just as the class was being dismissed, and Chef Guilbaud was not one to let someone enroll after the first session had been completed. Although they were determined to get in anyway...

"Please, please, please, please, **PLEASE!**" they pleaded, both girls kneeling before him.

"This ees a six-week class that meets once a week! I do not allow late registration for eet because eet ees impossible to pass without attending every session!"

"But you have to let us in!" exclaimed Milly.

Katie added, "We need this! Make an exception, pretty please!"

To sweeten the pot, each of them pulled out a check for $250 that had been given to them by their parents.

"You realize zere is a $30 late registration fee, non? Each?"

The girls looked at each other. They did not know what to do... that is, until Milly got an idea.

"How about becoming a member of our Fireside Girls Cupcake of the Month Club?"

"Why would I be interest in that tripe?"

Milly lowered her head in sorrow.

"Although, I know deux relatives that eat zose cupcakes as fast as a Frenchman eats le croissant!"

Katie quickly jumped into the deal. "This would be a good time to mention that we allow people to gift club memberships, at no extra charge!"

"In zat case, velcome, les filles!"

He took their checks and went to get their registration paperwork. Milly and Katie gave each other a high-five in celebration.

* * *

><p>One week later...<p>

_(M) We thought this would be a piece of cake..._

Katie had just finished throwing a bunch of ingredients into a blender. She pressed the 'blend' button, but to her surprise, nothing happened. She rose up on her tiptoes to peer in through the uncovered top, unaware Milly had already figured out the problem.

The blender was not plugged in. And she was remedying that in 3... 2... 1...

"**AAAAHHHHH!**" screamed Katie, as all sorts of fruit juice and pulp came flying out, into her face, clothes, and onto the floor and counter.

Milly immediately unplugged the blender and then slowly peeked up over the counter, to see the mess on and around Katie.

* * *

><p><em>(K) Who came up with <strong>THAT<strong>? It's **NEVER** that easy!_

A different week...

Katie was reading a recipe for banana nut bread out of a cookbook when she noticed she had a made a horrendous error! The recipe had called for two tablespoons of yeast, yet there were two completely empty boxes of yeast next to her.

At that exact moment, Milly was about to open the oven to pull their finished loaf out. She sniffed the air around the door, and sensing their bread was burning, she pulled the handle...

"**EEEEEKKKKKK!**" squealed Milly as the loaf exploded, sending burnt pieces of bread flying all over the place.

Katie had ducked behind her counter to avoid getting hit, but once the bread had stopped flying, she came out from behind. She saw Milly had a few pieces clinging to her clothes, and many others all around the floor. As for their loaf, or what was left of it... it was a gooey mess that spread from their pan and into the oven.

* * *

><p>And yet another week...<p>

Milly and Katie had finished a pound cake, and it looked perfect! They had already covered the top in whipped cream, and all they had left to do was top it with a cherry.

"Finally!" Milly exclaimed. "Nothing could go wrong now!"

Holding the cherry by the stem, Milly gingerly placed the cherry on the top, in the center. She then pressed down on the top ever so slightly...

And the cake exploded, covering the two of them from head to toe in cake and cream.

"Oh, come on!" growled Katie.

* * *

><p>After the last week of class, Chef Guilbaud had told Milly and Katie to stay afterwards. Needless to say, he was not pleased with their performance.<p>

"Never, in all my years, 'ave I ever met such fuels!"

Katie scratched her head, confused. "Fuels?"

"He means 'fools,'" Milly told her. "Accent, you know."

"Ze only zing you two have not done yet ees send someone to zee hospital!"

The girls laughed nervously. At least they had avoided that this time.

"What do you have to zay for yourselves?"

Milly and Katie thought for a second before answering. Or, rather, pleading, as they both got down on their knees in front of the chef.

"Please don't fail us!" cried Katie.

"We get A's and B's in school!" exclaimed Milly. "We're just lost when it comes to finding our way around a kitchen!"

"Give us a chance! If we can't bake, then what will we do for fun?"

"My mom wants me to take up knitting! **KNITTING!**"

Chef Guilbaud sighed. He could not stand whiners... but he did admire those unwilling to quit no matter how bad of a chef they were.

"Sacre bleu! I vill help you prepare for the final exam! Vut you must listen to every-zing I zay! Comprenez-vous?"

Milly and Katie each picked one of the chef's legs and wrapped their arms around it, happy to get one last chance.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" they shouted.

* * *

><p>"Vefore you can make a cake, you must know what goes in eet! And you must able to use your senses to tell!"<p>

Milly and Katie were both standing behind the counter, and they had blindfolds covering their eyes. Chef Guilbaud was standing in between them, with a wooden spoon in hand. Before them were four small, cylindrical containers. They were labeled, from their right to their left: basil, rat poison, cinnamon, and duck fat.

"Pick zee right ingredient... or else!"

Milly gulped in fear, but Katie had a confident smile on her face. She reached for a container at complete random - it just so happened to be the rat poison - and just as she touched it, she felt her hand get smacked by the spoon.

"**OW!**"

"Wrong, wrong, **WRONG!**"

Milly leaned forward and tried to smell each of the containers. After going through the process twice, she pointed at one of them...

...and was rewarded with her hand being hit by the spoon.

"**OW!**"

"No, no, **NO!**"

Milly ripped off her blindfold and saw that her pulsating-in-pain finger was pointing at the rat poison.

* * *

><p>"Maybe eef we deprive you of more than one sense, you will do better!"<p>

This time, in addition to being blindfolded, the girls also had on noise-cancelling headphones. In front of them on the counter were several small pieces of different fruits. Chef Guilbaud picked up a grape and pressed it against Milly's lips, signaling to her that she was to open her mouth and eat.

After allowing her to swallow it, he lifted one side of Milly's headphones high enough so he could ask her...

"What was zat?"

Milly quickly replied, "Apple, sir!"

Guilbaud groaned, then asked, "Are you daft?"

He then snapped the headphone back into place, just hard enough for Milly to emit a small yelp. Guilbaud shook his head, then picked up a slice of apple, and, using the same procedure he did for Milly, had Katie down it.

"What was zat?"

Katie thought for a second, then answered, "Um... a grape?"

"Are you **SERIOUS**?"

Katie then also felt her headphone snap back into place.

"Ouch..."

* * *

><p>"Surely you can zeperate zee eggs!"<p>

They were four eggs in front of Milly, and another four in front of Katie. The blonde instantly came up with an idea, as she literally separated the eggs... by spacing them apart so none of them were touching any of the others.

"Ta da!" she exclaimed, showing off her work.

Chef Guilbaud did not even both with corrective punishment, as he just resorted to burying his face in his hands and shaking his head.

"Why, why, why?"

"Um, Chef Guilbaud?" interrupted Milly.

"Vat?"

The Chef looked up and saw that Milly had successfully separated the eggs the right way, by cracking the eggs and putting the yolks in a separate bowl from the whites and then disposing of the shells.

"You... you did it!"

But Milly was far from done, as she continued through the process of using them for a cake! The Chef and Katie just watched in stunned silence, not saying a word until Milly plopped a plate with a finished sponge cake before them. They both pinched off a piece and tasted it. Instantly, their eyes lit up with glee.

"Milly! This is the best sponge cake I've ever had!"

"I agree," the Chef nodded. "Forget zee final, Milly! In my eyes, you 'ave passed with zee flying colors!"

Chef Guilbaud produced a piece of paper, which stated that Milly had been banned from all kitchens until her 18th birthday. He then tore the document right in front of her, and Milly cheered in celebration.

"**YES!**"

Milly then started dancing.

"I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it!"

* * *

><p>"I did it! I did it! I did it!"<p>

"If you want to pass zis test, I suggest you **GET STARTED**!"

Milly had been snapped out of her dream by Chef Guilbaud's yelling. It was already the day of the final exam, and she had spent the first 15 minutes of the test period daydreaming.

"And you," the Chef said, turning to Katie, "**PUT DOWN THAT RACKET!**"

Apparently, Katie had been out of it as well. She tossed the racket aside, picked up the carton of eggs, and ran to hide on the other side of Milly. Satisfied with Katie's reaction, Chef Guilbaud walked away to check on the other students.

"Lemme guess," Milly looked at Katie, "you **WEREN'T** dreaming of impressing the Chef so much you passed the class without taking the final, were you?"

Katie shook her head. "I was imagining us beating Isabella and Adyson on the tennis court! Instead of what actually happened..."

"Shhhh!" Milly shushed her partner. "I think the Chef's coming back!"

But it was not the Chef coming up to them. It was Holly. And she was a mess, given that she had a rope burn on her left hand and a red palm print on her right cheek.

"Holly!" they shouted. "What happened to you?"

"Ginger happened!"

* * *

><p>To prove her point, Holly brought them outside. A crowd, mostly of loved ones of the participating students, had gathered. Three people were sitting at the judges' table. Two of them were men, neither of which the girls recognized. Those two looked over at the third judge with concern. That was because the third one was Ginger. Though they had no issue with her being a young girl, who probably had no prior judging experience.<p>

Their issue was that Ginger had been bound to the chair with rope, her body and legs pinned and unable to move. She was also gagged so she could not scream... though she obviously was not letting that stop her from trying, if her muffled screeches were any indication.

"Is that necessary?" Milly asked Holly.

"Trust me," Holly put a hand on her shoulder, "and I mean this as a friend... but ya'll need all the help you can get to pass this! And since Ginger was the only one not busy today, she volunteered!"

"Could you **AT LEAST** ungag her?" Katie requested.

Holly supposed she could do that. She went over and undid the gag. But the second she was able to speak unrestricted, Ginger yelled...

"**THEY'RE GONNA KILL US!**"

Holly quickly retied the gag, keeping Ginger from saying anything more. She laughed nervously as she turned to look at the other judges.

"Heh heh... don't remove that 'til the judging, k?"

Both men nodded, even as Ginger fidgeted in her chair in desperation. Holly then glanced back to her friends.

"I'm goin' cross-town to see how Isabella and Adyson are doing! Good luck, you two!"

With that, Holly departed. Milly and Katie looked at each other, as Ginger's presence, although forced upon her, had inspired them.

"What do you say we bake a cake that'll make everyone proud?" Katie asked of Milly.

"I say... let's get baking!"

Milly and Katie raced back to the kitchen, where they gathered a carton of strawberries, some baking soda, flour, sugar, and other ingredients, and went to work. An hour later, a finished, but untopped, cake sat before them.

"I dunno," hesitated Milly. "I don't think it was in the oven long enough."

"One minute!" Chef Guilbaud shouted from across the room.

"We don't have time to throw it back in!" exclaimed Katie. "Quick, top it!"

Milly sprayed whipped cream on top, then Katie took what was left of their strawberries and threw them on, in a circular pattern.

"**TIME!**"

The girls breathed a sigh of relief. They had succeeded in baking a cake without anything going wrong. But that was only half of the final exam. The other half... was the taste test.

* * *

><p>Milly and Katie made their way outside, joining the other students of the class. They were greeted by Chef Guilbaud.<p>

"Ahhh... last ones out, first ones to get their cake tasted!"

The chef clapped twice towards a nearby table, where a bunch of volunteers where in the process of slicing all of the cakes for tasting. One of them, carrying a tray with three slices of Milly and Katie's strawberry shortcake on it, headed over to the judges' table. She proceeded to put each slice, which was on its own plate, in front of each of the judges. She then untied Ginger's arms from the chair and removed her gag. Ginger was now oddly silent even with her ability to scream that she wanted no part of this, apparently resigned to her fate of tasting her friends' creation...

...and chancing dying because of doing so.

"Normally," Chef Guilbaud prefaced, "one only needs two of zee three judges to like your concoction to pass."

He then stared intensely at Milly and Katie.

"But in your case, ma petite filles... you need all three!"

The Chef turned his attention back to the judges and motioned them to pick up their plastic forks and begin tasting. Afraid to watch, Milly covered her eyes with her hands. Katie kept hers open, but she grabbed Milly's left arm and held onto it tightly. They waited anxiously for the judges to render their verdict.

"Delicious!" remarked the younger of the two men. "I could definitely see some of my girl friends liking this!"

Katie loosened her grip slightly. That was one good review.

"It's not like Mom used to make," commented the older man, "but it's better than what Dad used to make! I'll take it!"

That was two. Milly spread her fingers a little so she could see in-between them. Their fate was now in the hands of a fellow Fireside Girl... but it was anything but a sure thing. Especially since Ginger was taking her sweet time chewing on her piece.

"Please say yes," mumbled Milly, "please say yes, please say yes!"

Finally, Ginger swallowed the last of it with a big gulp. All eyes were on her as she opened her eyes - she had shut them the entire time she was chewing - and stated her decision.

"Wow! That was so sweet! And, and... I don't feel sick or anything! In fact... may I have another, please?"

"Congratulations!" proclaimed Chef Guilbaud. "Milly and Katie, you pass!"

Milly and Katie started jumping for joy.

"We passed, we passed, **WE PASSED!**"

Ginger wanted to join in her friends' celebration, but since her body was still tied to the chair, she settled for jumping up and down with her chair. Milly and Katie pulled out the documents announcing their ban from the kitchen, and they ripped them apart for all to see, signifying their freedom to enter one to cook whenever they pleased.

* * *

><p>A couple days later...<p>

"And that's the story of why we can cook again!" stated a very giddy Katie.

Katie had told the story at the lodge, in front of the rest of the troop, who applauded upon the conclusion of the tale. At that exact moment, Milly, who was next to her, grabbed a pan of homemade cupcakes from the table beside them, and she went and began handing them out. But Isabella noticed something off immediately as Milly stopped in front of her to give her first choice.

"Uh, girls... is that what I think it is?"

She was pointing to what looked like a rat's behind, tail included, sticking out of the top of one of the cupcakes. Ginger saw it, screamed in terror, and ran out of the room. Everyone else followed suit, leaving Milly and Katie behind with the tainted cupcakes.

"It's just a fake!" shouted Milly. "It's rubber! I left it in there as a joke!"

Katie walked over and poked at the protrusion once. It moved.

"Ummm..."

The rat's head then popped up, and it hissed at the girls. They both screamed, with Milly tossing the pan upwards in fright, and they bolted from the room as well. The pan landed on the ground, shockingly intact, and once it had settled, the rat popped up once again, and resumed what it had been doing before it was interrupted.

Devouring the girls' lovely cupcakes.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>This one was fun to write, especially since it closes the 'Baking Disasters' mini-arc that has been rearing its head since "Phineas is Mine!" Not saying there won't be more kitchen mishaps, but at least they will no longer be of the 'that might kill someone' variety.<p>

Next week, girls starting getting their second solo story in the series! Tune in to see which girl will lead off this round!


	12. To Bust or Not to Bust

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, here's this season's moral-laden episode, spiced up with some fun side antics by a pair of familiar characters. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>A school bus on its way to Danville Elementary was filled with a few dozen kids, most of them in a talkative mood. They were some kids talking about the newest toy they had just gotten, others showing off a new article of clothing, and even a few were already thinking about what they were going to do after they got out of school that day.<p>

Holly would normally find herself participating in one of those discussions. But today, she was doing some different. She was preparing for a spelling test that morning.

_Entry #123 - Written by Holly_

_I know I should be used to having to take a spelling test pretty much every Friday during the school year. It's been that way since the second grade. Thankfully, this is only our second test so far, so I'm not stressin' out, trying to study at the last minute. I'm just doing a last-second review._

Indeed, Holly had a piece of paper with a list of words that her teacher might ask the class to spell in hand.

_Surely nothing out of the ordinary will happen today. Right?_

**-**  
><strong>Entry #123 [FSD205] - To Bust or Not to Bust (01.30.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

"Alright, class! It's time for this week's spelling quiz! Please clear everything from your desk except for a pencil!"

Noise filled the room as the students complied with Miss Dunkirk's order. As Holly took everything off her desk, she shot a friendly glance over to her right, where Django was sitting.

"You ready?" she asked him.

To which Django replied, "C-h-e-s-t-n-u-t! Chestnut!"

"Show off!" Holly playfully stuck her tongue out at Django, having realized he just spelled one of the words on the test list.

Miss Dunkirk began passing out paper sheets to the class.

"Please put your name in the top right corner of the page! And I do mean **YOUR** name!"

She had stopped in front of Irving, and was staring at him.

"I don't care how much you like this 'Phineas,' he's not in this class! So if you don't want to get a zero this time..."

She handed a sheet to Irving, and then continued on to the next student. Once they were all passed out, Miss Dunkirk began the test.

"Number one. Month."

_The way Miss Dunkirk's spelling tests go was that she'd say the word, then repeat it twice more. Simple enough._

Holly wrote down the first word without hesitation, even before her teacher had begun repeating it.

"Number two. Ghastly."

Holly had no trouble remembering the spelling of this one, either.

"Number three. Wrestling."

Again, easy.

"Number four. Chestnut."

Holly saw Django smile out of the corner of her eye. He sure called that one.

"Number five. Isthmus."

Finally, Miss Dunkirk had said a word that Holly had trouble recalling how to spell.

"Isthmus."

Holly wrote down the correct first two letters, but was stumped as to what came next. She randomly glanced to her left and one seat up, and suddenly saw something troublesome. There was a boy sitting in that seat, and Holly could see, just barely, words written in black marker on his left palm!

"No way!" Holly thought to herself. "Is he... he couldn't... what... what should I do?"

A miniature Isabella appeared on her left shoulder, dressed in an angelic white robe.

"I'm pretty sure he's got a good reason," she told Holly. "It's not like he's a chronic cheater... this is just his first offense!"

At that moment, a miniature Candace materialized on Holly's right shoulder, in a devilish red robe. She immediately began yelling...

"**BUST HIM! BUST HIM, BUST HIM, BUST HIM, BUST HIM, BUST HIM!**"

The two of them then disappeared. Holly then saw the boy cover his palm up, believing he was still in the clear...

_As a member of the Fireside Girls, I knew what I had to do!_

"Miss Dunkirk!" Holly shouted while raising her hand.

"Holly!" Miss Dunkirk said in response. "No talking during a test!"

"But..."

"Holly!"

Holly quickly clammed up, and she focused all her attention back on the test. In doing so, she failed to notice the cheater himself sneak a worried glance her way.

* * *

><p>"Pencils down!" Miss Dunkirk exclaimed a couple minutes later. "Turn your papers face down and then pass them to the front of the room!"<p>

As the students followed instructions, Holly glanced over at the cheater. Just in time, too, as she saw him stick his marked-up hand into his pants pocket.

"Holly?"

She looked towards the front, to where Miss Dunkirk was.

"Yes?"

"Did you have something to say?"

Holly gazed over at the boy, and for the first time, their eyes had met. She could see the frightened look in his eyes, while he saw that she had a 'I saw what you did' look on hers.

And then 'Angel' Isabella and 'Devil' Candace showed up again.

"Forgive him!" pleaded Isabella. "Look how scared he is!"

"Bust him, bust him, bust him, **BUST HIMMMMMMMMMMMMM!**" shouted Candace.

Holly made a decision.

"No, Miss Dunkirk. It was nothing."

Miss Dunkirk shrugged, then began collecting the tests.

"Boo-yah!" exclaimed Isabella.

Candace crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in displeasure. As for the boy, he seemed relieved that he had not been busted after all.

* * *

><p><em>I could've left it like that. But...<em>

"You know, if you keep stirring that pea mush, it'll be... I dunno, something worse!"

Holly snapped back to reality, and noticed that Milly had been staring at her. They were in the cafeteria, eating lunch. Well, Milly had been, while Holly was just messing with the food on her tray.

"You really shouldn't do that to your peas," Milly continued. "This is the first time they haven't been stale since the first day of school!"

"Sorry," apologized Holly. "I'm... distracted."

"Spelling test day? I thought you always aced those! The first few every year, anyway..."

Holly suddenly got up out of her seat and she started walking away, leaving her tray behind.

"Um, Holly? Don't leave without dumping your tray!"

"Later..."

But dumping her tray was not on Holly's mind. It was the cheater that actually was. And she was going over to where he was sitting, all by his lonesome self.

"**YES!**" Candace shouted as she reappeared on Holly's shoulder. "Busting time, busting time, tra la la, la la la!"

Holly tapped the boy lightly on the shoulder, and he turned around to see who it was.

"Hi, Mike! Mind if we chat?"

The boy in question, Mike, was coming to the realization that Holly had seen him cheat after all. He could decline her request, but that likely would not deter her from asking again. He could try to run, but that could get him into even more trouble. That left him with only one option.

"Yeah, sure."

He had said the words uneasily, but it was the only way he could try to explain himself. Holly sat down in the seat across from him, so that they were facing each other. She put one hand on his lunch tray and pushed it to the side, so Mike could not eat while they were talking.

"So, you want to start? Or should I just come right out with it?"

Mike hesitated, then responded. "I have no idea what you're talking about..."

Holly shook her head. "You're going that route, aren't you?"

On her shoulder, Candace started yelling into Holly's ear.

"**GET HIM, GET HIM! BUST HIM, BUST HIM!**"

"Mike, I saw you cheat on the test."

Holly had revealed what she had seen. Mike rebutted.

"I did no such thing."

"I saw you! Don't deny it!"

"I didn't cheat!"

"Either you tell her or I will!"

"But I didn't!"

_Yet I knew he did, and there was proof!_

"Show me your hand!"

"What? No!"

"Show me!"

Holly reached over the table for Mike's left hand. She got a hold of it, but he had it closed in the fist, attempting to cover up the evidence. Holly used her other hand to try and pry his fingers loose.

"Go, go!" Candace shouted. "Get that evidence!"

"**HEY!**" howled Isabella, as she appeared on Holly's other shoulder. "No fair! I go to the little girls' room for five minutes and now **CHAOS**?"

"Ya snooze, you lose!"

"Holly! Let go of that boy this instant!"

Hearing Isabella's plea, Holly stopped. That gave Mike just the break he needed, as he pulled himself out of Holly's grip, got up from the table, and walked off.

"**NO! IT WAS RIGHT THERE! I WAS WINNING!**"

"This isn't about winning, Candace! I thought we agreed that Holly was going to let him go!"

"You agreed! I didn't! And neither did Holly! 'Til you popped back in!"

Holly, tired of the arguing on her shoulders, reached up to grab them. But doing so only made the pair turn into clouds, which gradually faded away... for now. Holly needed time to think about her next move, if any.

* * *

><p><em>I probably should've turned Mike in once we got back to class, but since Miss Dunkirk wanted to get right into the day's English lesson, I decided to hold off.<em>

"Okay, class! Today, we're gonna learn about homophones! Who wants to guess what a homophone is?"

Holly saw a girl raise her hand. But she was not paying attention to what she was saying. She was still stuck about what to do about Mike.

* * *

><p><em>Before I knew it, we had moved onto Math...<em>

Django was at the blackboard, writing down the solution to the problem 76 divided by 7 and showing his work in the process. He was not alone, as three other students had also been given similar problems to work out for the entire class to see.

"Django, please explain your answer," commanded Miss Dunkirk.

"Okay. So, to divide 76 into 7, the first thing you do is take the tens digit, which is 7, and see if its divisible by the number out here, which is also 7..."

Again, Holly's mind was elsewhere, ignoring what was transpiring in class and only focusing on Mike and his apparent act to continue on like nothing had ever happened...

* * *

><p><em>...and at some point, we had reached the end of the day.<em>

The end-of-school bell had just rang, and everyone began to file out of the room to go to their lockers. Holly was heading for the door, too, when suddenly she changed direction and instead went towards Miss Dunkirk's desk.

"Miss Dunkirk?"

_I finally realized that if Mike wasn't gonna turn himself in, I had to._

"This oughta be good," Candace stated, as she popped up once more on Holly's shoulders, with a tub of popcorn in hand.

"Yes, Holly?" Miss Dunkirk asked. "What is it, Holly?"

"Miss Dunkirk! I have something to tell you!"

Holly sighed, then opened her mouth to begin the bust, as Candace leaned in with anticipation...

"Yes? **YES!**"

...and then...

"Miss Dunkirk!"

Mike had jumped in, intending to stop Holly from spilling the beans. Candace reacted, appropriately...

"No, no, **NOOOOO!**"

"Mike, you know it's rude to interrupt others," Miss Dunkirk said, in a scolding tone. "Holly was here first."

"But," Mike pleaded, "I have something important to tell you! **VERY** important!"

Miss Dunkirk was having none of it, but Holly said in response...

"Actually, Miss Dunkirk, I think if it's important, Mike **SHOULD** go first!"

"Hmmm..." the teacher thought aloud. "Well, if you insist. Mike?"

"Watch," Holly whispered to Candace. "He's about to bust himself."

Upon hearing that, Candace became happy again and looked on with baited breath.

"Miss Dunkirk, I just wanted to wish you a good weekend!"

Holly's jaw dropped, and so did Candace's.

"Why, that's very nice of you to say, Mike. Thank you!"

Mike nodded, then headed for the door.

"Now, Holly... you were saying?"

Holly waited for Mike to exit the room before finally answering, "Nothing. It's nothing."

Miss Dunkirk seemed suspicious of Holly's reply.

"You sure? It's the second time today you had something important to say, and then you say it's nothing. Are you okay?"

Holly thought about it.

"Yes. I'm good."

"Well, Holly. You know you can talk to me about any problems you may be having. Alright?"

Holly nodded.

"I'd better go. Don't want to miss the bus!"

With that, Holly exited.

"What are you doing?" screamed Candace. "**BUST THE BOY!**"

Holly went into the hall and found Mike at his locker. She quickly confronted him before he could get away.

"Mike! You know what you did was wrong! Now, fess up, or I'm going to tell Miss Dunkirk! For real this time!"

Mike sighed, then turned around to face Holly. Meanwhile, Isabella showed up next to Candace on Holly's shoulder, late once again.

"Again? Why always when I'm you-know-where?"

"Dunno. Which reminds me... isn't that the fifth time today?"

"Breakfast really, **REALLY** didn't agree with me."

"Told you not to eat that bagel that was actually a day-old donut."

"But you're the one in red! I thought you were lying!"

"Why would I lie about something already evil to begin with?"

"**WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF?**" Holly suddenly yelled.

Mike raised an eyebrow, confused, as he did not know whom Holly was talking to.

"Um?"

Holly quickly refocused, going back to pressing Mike for an answer.

"Well, Mike?"

"Holly, please! Please don't turn me in!"

"You need to give me a very good reason not to. Cheating is wrong! So wrong!"

"I have one!"

"And it is?"

"Look, I only cheated because I forgot to study! I was out all afternoon, biking with my friends! I was so tired afterwards that I forgot about the test until this morning! My folks are really hard on me when I get bad grades, so I did what I had to do! It was just this one time! I've never done it before, and I'll never do it again! Please don't turn me in, Holly!"

Holly looked into Mike's eyes, trying to determine how sincere he was. But her 'helpers' had already decided.

"He's pleading for forgiveness!" begged Isabella. "You can let it slide this one time, Holly!"

"**CHEATING IS WRONG!**" yelled Candace. "You gotta bust him! It's in your blood!"

"'It's in your blood?' Really?"

"Don't question me, Miss Make-an-Exception!"

Holly sighed not once, but twice, before coming to a decision.

"I won't tell Miss Dunkirk."

Candace freaked out. "**WHAT?**"

"Ha!" Isabella said with a smirk. "Niceness triumphs once more!"

"But..." Holly added, "you have to promise to **NEVER** cheat ever again. Got it?"

Mike nodded several times. "Yes, yes! I promise! Thank you, Holly! Thank you!"

With that, Mike pulled out his bookbag, closed his locker, and then joined the mass exodus of students heading for the school's front door. Holly smiled, having reached a satisfactory conclusion to her dilemma.

* * *

><p><em>I was actually willing to let it end there. Unfortunately, my conscience had other ideas...<em>

"Has not being a Fireside Girl taught you anything?" Candace, on one shoulder, asked Holly. "You see somebody doing something wrong, then you have to bust them!"

"But he genuinely pleaded for mercy!" argued Isabella, over on Holly's shoulder. "You saw it in his eyes! He's truly sorry, and I believe he will never, ever cheat on a test again!"

Holly sighed as she lied on her bed, her legs dangling over the end.

"You're gonna take a boy for his word? The only surefire way to make sure he never does it again is to bust him!"

"For someone five years my senior, you sure have a limited vocabulary. You've said the word 'bust,' like, how many times?"

"What can I say? It's my thing!"

"Anyway, Holly. It's over. There are other, more important things to worry about."

"What? It's not over 'til I say it's over!"

"**NO!**" Holly barked, sitting up. "Enough! I'll decide when it's over!"

Holly suddenly got an idea.

"Or, maybe..."

* * *

><p>"Hi, Holly! Whatcha doin'?"<p>

Holly had gone over to Isabella's - yes, the real Isabella - house to ask for advice. Candace was not happy.

"Now you're consulting with real-life Isabella? Unfair!"

"I think it's a sound decision!" 'Angel' Isabella stated proudly.

The two conscience 'sprites' sat patiently as Holly told Isabella of her dilemma. The troop leader thought about it for a minute after being told all the facts, and she told Holly what she had decided.

"If I were you, Holly, the right thing to do would be to turn in Mike to Miss Dunkirk."

The Isabella sprite disagreed with her living counterpart.

"**WHAT?**"

The Candace sprite, on the other hand, was dancing in celebration.

"**HA!** She agrees with me! Candace Sprite 1, you... **LO-SER!**"

But the real-life Isabella was not done yet...

"But... it's not wrong to believe in Mike. After all, he did swear that he'd never cheat again."

This time, the sprites switched reactions.

"You can't flip-flop! You flip-flopper!"

"I knew there was some good in me! I mean, Isabella!"

"In the end," Isabella told Holly, "the decision on whether to turn Mike in or make an exception this one time for him is up to you. Not me, or those little sprites on your shoulders!"

Holly did a double-take. "Wait... you can **SEE** them?"

"And hear them!"

"Whew! For a second there, I thought I was going crazy."

"No worries! They're easily disposed of."

Isabella pulled out a can of Sprite-B-Gone, and used it on the duo. They cried out in anguish as they liquefied into goo.

"How could you? I'm youuuuuuuuu..."

"When I find a way to become solid again, **YOU'RE SO BUSTEDDDDDDDDDD!**"

All that was left of them on Holly's shoulders were two small puddles of water.

"Don't worry. It's self-drying. As for Mike..."

Holly put up a hand up to stop Isabella.

"I've made my decision."

* * *

><p>The next day, at school, Holly entered the classroom. But she stopped upon seeing Mike already in the midst of confessing his gaffe to Miss Dunkirk. Holly could not make out their conversation because of it being overshadowed by the noise of others talking and taking their seats filling the room, but she could read lips well enough to know Mike was doing the right thing.<p>

And for that, Holly smiled in relief.

* * *

><p>Later on, at lunch, Holly was busy multitasking. One moment she was eating, the next she was chatting with Milly, and then she was examining a new list of spelling words that Miss Dunkirk had given them for their next test at the end of the week. Suddenly, she was interrupted by someone tapping on her shoulder. She turned around and saw that it was Mike.<p>

"I saw what you did today," Holly said aloud.

"You did, huh?"

Holly nodded. "So, what happened?"

"I had to take a zero. Still, she waived detention because I told her what I did. And I feel much better now without this thing hanging over my head!"

"I see."

"You're right. I shouldn't have done it. I'll know better now to make sure I never cheat again. And I have you to thank, Holly! So, thanks!"

"You're welcome!"

Mike waved farewell, then walked off with his tray to find a place to sit. Holly smiled.

_I guess what they say is true. Cheaters never prosper. But the truth will set you free. I'm pretty confident Mike has learned his lesson, and I'm glad I helped him see the light._

Holly went back to eating, or rather, she was, until she saw the odd grin on Milly's face.

"What?"

Milly continued to grin. Holly gasped, recognizing the look.

"That's your 'you think I'm in love' face, isn't it?"

"**EEEEEE!**" squealed Milly. "So you are admitting it! So how long have you had feelings for him? Who made the first move? What's his favorite color? Have you held hands yet?"

Milly continued to ramble off random questions as Holly groaned and buried her face in her hands.

_Now that I've taught Mike that cheating is wrong, next time I suppose that Milly's constant assumptions of a boy and girl randomly beginning to interact with each other as a sign that they're in love will have to be proven wrong._

_Don't expect an entry on that. It might take a few weeks._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>To bust or not to bust a cheater? That is the question. Holly had trouble deciding. What would you do, given the same situation? I'm interested to hear your response!<p>

Looking ahead to next week, another Fireside Girl will have an important decision of her own to make. Come back then to see what that is!


	13. It's Not Academic

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Just like Holly last week, Gretchen has her own dilemma to resolve this week. Not as relatable to most people like Holly's, though. Or is it?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>It was just after 10 in the morning in Mrs. Davenport's fifth-grade class at Danville Elementary. The students there were in the midst of a silent reading assignment when the voice of one of the school's secretaries began to come out of the intercom.<p>

"Mrs. Davenport?"

"Yes?" she shouted in response.

_Entry #365 - Written by Gretchen_

_You wanna know the nine words I thought I'd never hear?_

"Could you please send Gretchen to the principal's office?"

The entire class gasped in unified shock. All their heads then turned in Gretchen's direction. In turn, she reacted.

"W-w-w-w-w-what?"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #365 [FSD206] - It's Not Academic (02.07.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_When you're the smartest girl in school, all the other students look up to you. They have expectations of what they want to see you do. Being called to the principal's office isn't one of them._

_But as the girls were about to find out, this wasn't just any ordinary trip..._

The girls had just emerged from the lunch line and were trying to find a place to sit. Isabella led the way, followed by Adyson, Ginger, and Gretchen bringing up the rear. Gretchen seemed nervous, as her eyes darted back and forth from one side of the cafeteria to the other.

"Gretchen!"

Gretchen heard Isabella call her name, and saw that she was waving at her from a nearby table. Gretchen hurried over and took the seat to Isabella's right, while Ginger sat across from her and Adyson over to Ginger's right. They all placed their trays on the table, but just as Gretchen did, she felt someone grab her by the arm. Or, rather, thumb.

It was Buford.

"Go!" Ginger waved at him, in an 'away' motion. "Shoo!"

"Fine! I know where I'm not wanted!"

"Ignore Buford," Isabella said as she grabbed her napkin and tried to clean off Gretchen's thumb. "I'm sure it was a mistake. I mean, when you came back to class after only ten minutes and didn't say anything, I assumed there was no trouble."

"Well," Gretchen said. "I went to the principal's office, and my parents were there! I know parents are only called in when there's a big problem, so I thought I was in big trouble! So I was scared, even though I didn't know why! And then... **THIS!**"

Gretchen reached into her notebook and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it, and it turned out to actually be an informational pamphlet - which she promptly handed to...

"Roger Doofenshmirtz Junior and Senior High School," Isabella said, reciting the pamphlet's title aloud.

"Actually," corrected Gretchen, "it's currently South Danville Junior and Senior High School. The name was changed to dedicate our mayor last week, but the new name isn't actually official until the new school year starts in September."

"I don't understand, Gretchen. Why do you have this, and what does this have to do with you, your parents, and your trip to the principal's office?"

"Well, Chief, you see... given my extremely good grades, the principal asked my parents to consider skipping me up a grade."

"They want you to skip a grade?" Isabella questioned Gretchen. "That's great!"

"But, Chief! I would be skipping the sixth grade! That means instead of graduating from here next year, it would be next month! I'd be going to a whole new school in the fall!"

"Wait! You can't do that, Gretchen! We promised each other back in the third grade that we **ALL** would graduate grade school together! And junior high school, and senior high school! You know as well as anyone, Gretchen, that Fireside Girls don't break promises. Even though, well, you know, this was a in-school promise, not a Fireside Girls promise... but it's pretty much the same thing!"

"I dunno." Adyson wanted to put in her two cents. "Junior high's a step up. You could run into some cute older guys there."

Isabella stared at her, unamused. Adyson quickly qualified her suggestion.

"Oh, and expand your horizons and test your intelligence with harder classes! Yeah, definitely all that."

"Girls?"

They all turned their attention back to Gretchen, who looked as if she understood what they were telling her, but at the same time, also seemed to be unconvinced.

"I appreciate your concern, but both my parents and the principal are very adamant. I'm not being challenged here at Danville Elementary. Even gym is no longer a struggle for me!"

Gretchen took a deep breath, seeing sad frowns form on the faces of her friends as she did. Nevertheless, she continued...

"I'm going on a tour slash preview day at the school on Friday. It's a formality, but at the end of the day, my parents intend to fill out the paperwork. Sorry, but I don't have a choice. I'm going to be skipping the sixth grade, and that's that."

"But... but..." Isabella muttered, trying to come up with some sort of way out of this.

Gretchen was no longer interested in talking about the issue, so she picked up her tray and her books and got up to find another seat to spend the rest of lunch by herself.

_To be honest, it wasn't a done deal yet, and part of me wanted to stay there and have the Chief try and talk me out of it. But then the other part of me kept saying that this was a wonderful opportunity that I couldn't afford to pass up._

* * *

><p>Friday...<p>

Gretchen and her parents were sitting in the office of Darren Johannson, the school's seventh-grade counselor at South Danville Junior and Senior High. He was a rather buff for someone in his profession, but his calming voice was a perfect fit for it.

"Your daughter, Gretchen, is very gifted. Her principal at Danville Elementary faxed me her transcript. Very studious, a hard worker, a good test-taker, and she's expressed interest in the sciences! Two blue ribbons in her last two science fairs... very nice."

Mr. Johannson then reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small pamphlet entitled 'Science and Technology Program.' He handed it to Gretchen's father, who began reading it as the counselor summarized it aloud.

"I'd recommend enrolling Gretchen into the Junior Science and Technology, or JSAT, program. It's open to all junior high students. It's a step up from our school's normal program. Students in the program mostly take the same classes as those not in the program, with two exceptions: math and science. Students in the JSAT enroll in math and science classes that are more rigorous than their normal counterparts, and they also have extensive out-of-class research assignments. The JSAT also offers preparation for the Senior Science and Technology, or SSAT, program, which has a strict, selective admission process..."

_As Mr. Johannson explained the program in more detail, I began to envision what it would be like to be in such a program. I'd probably have fun with numbers, participate in all sorts of experiments, and maybe spend some time with a scientist, or an astronaut, or even a doctor. I know of a few of my friends that would be jealous of me. If I were the sort of person who wants people to be jealous of me._

_Friends..._

"Gretchen?"

Gretchen looked up and saw her parents and Mr. Johannson staring at her. The guidance counselor was asking her a question.

"Would you like to sit in on a JSAT Algebra 1 class?"

Gretchen nodded her head. And then the school bell rang.

* * *

><p>Mr. Johannson was leading Gretchen through the crowded halls of the school during a scheduled change of class.<p>

_I never realized how big teenagers were. I felt like an ant in an echidna farm! Hopefully, without the me getting eaten part._

It was hard for Gretchen to tell how old every single kid around her was, as it was a hodgepodge of junior high, underclassmen, and a few rare upperclassmen - for this part of campus, anyway - that seemed to never end. She felt Mr. Johannson grip onto her right hand tightly to make sure she did not get lost in the sea of teenagers, and even then she was getting bumped left and right. Mostly from people who did not even notice her because of her short stature.

At some point the crowds thinned out a little bit, and the number of senior high students around trickled down to next to nothing.

_Mr. Johannson told me that the main library - there was a secondary annex in the upperclassmen wing - served as the unofficial border between the junior high and senior high portions of campus. There were no classes that any ninth graders and above took that were housed on either floor of the school north of it. So it was basically a school within the school, so to speak. It allowed the younger students to still have the traditional junior high experience, as Mr. Johannson told me._

Once past the library, the crowd volume picked up once more, though Gretchen felt more relieved as she was now only around others that were, at most, two-to-three years older than her. And there were a number of people that were her size, although that was still the minority. Finally, they reached their destination. Gretchen caught a glimpse of the room number, stenciled in white paint on the doorway. It was A16.

Mr. Johannson began talking to another male in the room, who was the teacher. Gretchen stood off to the side and took a gander at the other students sitting in the room, who in turn were staring at her. The same could be said for those entering the room after her. The next thing Gretchen knew, she heard the bell ring, exactly seven minutes after the one she had heard while in the counselor's office.

_After traveling through the halls and noticing the last third of the seats in the room being filled within the last 30 seconds before the bell and the first 15 afterwards, I had begun to think about the disadvantages of having to go to a different place in the building for each subject. And debating if it was possible to traverse one end of school to the other, with all of that foot traffic, in such a short amount of time._

_That would require further research. Hopefully not first-hand, when I start going here next year._

_At that point, Mr. Johannson said he was leaving to talk more with my parents, specifically in detail with what else the school has to offer and such. He exited, and this new adult closed the door._

"Last call for homework!" the teacher exclaimed. They were the first words that Gretchen had heard clearly from his mouth. She then turned her attention to the teacher's desk, which had a two-tier plastic bin on it. She saw that the top tier was labeled 'In,' and the bottom, 'Out,' and both were full. The teacher was about to grab the papers out of the 'In' box, but stopped when he saw a boy towards the back of the room jumped out of his seat and speed-walked to the front with his paper in hand. He handed it to the teacher, who did not seemed pleased with this 'late deposit,' but took it without penalty as he placed it on top of the rest, and then pulled the pile out of the box. The student then hurried back to his seat.

"Before we begin today, as you see we have another prospective student sitting in on our class today. I trust you'll all be pristine examples of why she should considering enrolling in the program!"

_Following that introduction, I was pointed to an empty seat. But since in this class every seat had someone in it, that empty seat happened to be the one at the teacher's desk. Not that he minded, as I would find out, as he spent the entire class at the blackboard. Though looking out at the class and seeing all the stares at me, I was not feeling all that comfortable. Thankfully, they stopped once their teacher, whom I later learned was named Mr. Bell, kept their attention with the topic of the day. 'Binomials and Radicals.'_

Mr. Bell had written a fraction on the board. The numerator was 5, and the denominator was the sum of the square root of 2x and the square root of 5.

"Does anyone know what the answer to this is?"

Gretchen's first instinct was to take out a calculator. But she did not have one on her. She saw that a few others in the class had the same idea, and they were trying to come up with an answer. After a few seconds, someone raised their hand.

"1.369757?"

"Yes. 1.37." Mr. Bell had rounded up, for simplicity. "But what if you didn't have a calculator? As I've told you all year long, I don't allow calculators on tests! So... how would you get the answer if I were to ask a similar question to this on the test?"

He answered his own question by writing on the board, at which point the class followed suit in their notebooks.

"As we've learned," he read aloud from what he had on the board once he was finished, "to rationalize a denominator, we multiplied both the numerator and the denominator by what is needed to raise all of the powers of denominator to the nth root of that denominator. What happens when we try to apply that rule in the case where the denominator is an n-term polynomial, where n1?"

_For the first time in years, I was looking at a math problem that I had no idea how to solve! And even as Mr. Bell went through his lesson and explained how to get an answer to the aforementioned problem without using a calculator and prove the answer was the same, I was still confused. At first, I thought it was because his explanation was inadequate, and by the befuddled looks on most of the students in his class, that may have been the case. Then again, this is the first time I've heard the term 'rationalization' used to refer to math, so I myself was thoroughly confused as to why it works._

_I'm being challenged! And I don't mind! I think I'm starting to love algebra! And once I get a foothold of the basics, maybe I can help out Chief and the others when they take this class. Even though they'll... be a year... behind..._

_Friends..._

* * *

><p>Roughly 50 minutes or so later, Gretchen found herself back in the hallway, shortly after class had ended and Mr. Bell had delivered a short pitch to her encouraging her to sign up for the program. Once she was back among the mass of students trying to get to their next class, though, things became unpleasant.<p>

_Just as I was beginning to like the idea of skipping straight into junior high, things got ugly. Kids, older than me, starting saying mean things to me without provocation..._

"Watch out, shorty!"

"Did someone lose their baby?"

"Hey! Check out the girl runt!"

"You're with the big dogs now, **WOOF WOOF!**"

One after another, some kids barked at her, intentionally walked into her, and one kid even threw a small paper ball, which hit her right in the glasses. Others were passive, keeping their comments to themselves, gossiping within their small groups, or just flat out ignoring her. The jocks, the populars, the goths, the nerds. It did not matter whom a kid was with, they all appeared determined to belittle Gretchen and her presence in a place in which she did not belong.

_I was trying to stay strong, but my resolve was weakening! I was ready to break down and cry right there and then, but then **SHE** showed up..._

"**HEY!** Knock it off!"

A redhead with curly hair had appeared from the crowd out of nowhere, and she went over to Gretchen and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't you all have more important things to do than pick on a little girl? Like, go to class?"

A tall boy wearing a basketball jersey, who had been among the jeerers, replied. "Sorry, Miranda! We didn't know she was wit' you!"

With that, students quickly proceeded on their way.

_So, out of the blue, this girl, Miranda, saves me from what I'd equate to being stuck in a hornet's nest! She's very pretty and, based on that display, very strong-willed and caring for others._

"Lemme guess," Miranda said as she led Gretchen to the side of the hallway, just beside a grouping of lockers, "you're on a tour of the school, right? Comin' here in the fall?"

"Wow!" Gretchen was surprised that Miranda was right on the money. "How did you know?"

"Your deer in the headlights look gave you away. Don't worry. It happens to all of us."

Miranda brought Gretchen over to her group of girlfriends, which included a blonde Texan, a black-haired Korean, and a brunette Kenyan. She quickly introduced them.

"These are my friends! Daisy, Sonya, and Angela!"

They all waved hello. Gretchen returned the favor and told them her name.

"I'm Gretchen. I might be coming here next year as part of the Junior Science and Technology program."

"The JSAT?" Miranda was thrilled after hearing that. "What a coincidence! We're all in it now!"

"You're all in the JSAT?"

All the girls nodded.

"The girls here were in your exact position this time last year! And myself, two years ago!"

"So... so that means you're an eighth grader?"

"Yep! And I got into the SSAT next year! Only the smartest get into that, you know!"

"Whoa."

"Look, Gretchen. Don't let the bad crowd around here influence you about whether or not to come here. There are more kids like us around here than you may think. Kids who are actually friendly towards one another and don't try to do mean things to others. We're like your friendly neighborhood sisterhood. Without the traveling pants. Or... traveling anything, for that matter. The point is, don't let a few bad eggs spoil it for you. You seem like you definitely wanna be here. If you feel like you belong, then you should come here! And rest assured, you'll have friends like me and the girls here to watch your back, if you ever need it."

Gretchen looked over at the girls, then back at Miranda. She began to smile.

_It's satisfying to know that even in an unfamiliar and hostile environment, it's nice to see that there are kind strangers who want to be friendly with all of people, regardless of any differences on the outside. Or inside._

_Friends. Just like Isabella, Adyson, Ginger, and Holly._

_Friends._

"Gretchen!"

Gretchen looked up the hallway and saw her parents and Mr. Johannson waving at her, trying to get her attention. She waved back to confirm that she had seen them, then turned towards her new friends to say goodbye.

"Thank you! I think I'm confident in what I've decided!"

With that, Gretchen gave Miranda a hug, and then started walking up the hall.

"Good luck, Gretchen!" Miranda shouted after her. "Can't wait to hang out with you the next time we see you!"

Gretchen joined up with her parents and Mr. Johannson and begin to tell them what she had decided.

* * *

><p>That afternoon, Gretchen was standing by the mailbox in front of Isabella's house. The school bus that she normally rode home had just stopped over at the corner, and her friends were running towards her, anxious to hear of her decision.<p>

_In dilemmas such as mine, there is no surefire correct answer. Some think it's a no-brainer. When you're given a chance to skip a grade in order to take on an academic challenge more suited for your intelligence, you don't pass it up._

"So," Isabella said, quickly getting to the point, "what did you think? You movin' on?"

Gretchen tapped her finger against her chin, as if she was still debating - when in fact she had already made her decision back at the school.

"It's nice... but the biggest takeaway from the trip is that it wouldn't be fun without my friends."

Isabella, Adyson, and Ginger all flashed huge smiles, and they quickly surrounded Gretchen, initiating a group hug.

_But you never abandon your friends, especially ones as loyal as the Chief and the gang. Miranda showed me how much more important it is to have friends who will always stand by you, no matter what. And it wouldn't be right to move on to the next level of academia without mine after everything we've been through over the years._

_Junior high school and the JSAT can wait for me one more year. Friends like mine? They'll be with me... forever!_

_- Gretchen_

_P.S. If you're reading this, Miranda, thank you for helping me make the right decision! And if your offer still stands, I'd like to bring my sisterhood to meet yours. I think they'd get along great._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So this was another one of those odd episodes which caused me so much trouble during writing and it worked out a lot differently than I originally planned. Especially the last school scene, which was going to end with Gretchen making the decision by herself, instead of with from Miranda and her friends, who were added at the very last moment.<p>

Anyway, back to the fun stuff next week. One word: Ginjeet!


	14. Dumb and in Love

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, here's why this episode was delayed a few weeks. It's a perfect fit for Valentine's Day, even though this takes place in March. Anyway, here's Ginger's second solo entry in the series!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #240 - Written by Ginger<em>

_So, in the past, I've gone on and on about the most handsome boy at school. Baljeet. Ohhhhhh..._

_But, for some reason, every time I approach him and try to express my feelings for him, he either ignores me or just walks away! I wonder, is that what boys do when they're ten? Let a girl swoon over him and then pass it off as if it was nothing? And does that even apply to Baljeet, who isn't even that old yet!_

_I've got to find a way to get him to notice me! But how? **HOW?**_

Ginger was going for a walk by herself downtown, on a blustery March afternoon. Dressed in a her winter coat, a bonnet, and gloves, she rubbed her arms with her hands as she tried to stay warm.

_I wanted to take a walk to clear my head, but all I could think about was how cold I was! It's been seven weeks since you said six weeks of winter left, groundhog!_

Ginger decided to seek temporary refuge from the winds, so she stepped into a greeting card store. She wandered over to the 'His Birthday' card section, where she spotted a beautiful blonde woman in her 30s squinting as she tried to check out the cards. Ginger, being a Fireside Girl, knew it was her duty to help someone in need. But she was beat to the punch by one of the store's employees, an adult male about the same age as the woman.

"Need some help, miss?" the man asked.

"Certainly, cute stuff!" she replied. "I want to buy a birthday card for my sister-in-law! Perhaps you could help?"

"Mmmmm..." he said, smirking. "Allow me..."

The woman giggled as she was led off to the correct section.

"Hmmm..." murmured Ginger, having witnessed the entire scene.

Suddenly, Ginger heard voices coming from the checkout area. She made her way over there and saw a college-age couple by the register.

"Yeah!" exclaimed the girl. "I never knew you could use quarters for something other than scratching off lottery tickets!"

"Babe," said her boyfriend, "stick with me, and I'll show you what else quarters are good for, eh?"

"Eeee! Sounds cool!"

The two headed for the exit with their purchase. Again, Ginger was intrigued by their actions.

"Hmmm..."

Ginger made her way outside. Suddenly, across the street, she spotted Jeremy and Candace walking together, heading for parts unknown. Ginger ran to a nearby parking meter and slumped down behind it, then watched the couple. She did not have to wait long, as Candace tripped over her own feet...

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...**"

...and was about to land face-first on the pavement when her descent was stopped by Jeremy, who had reached out with his arms to catch her.

"Whoa! Candace, you okay?"

Candace cooed, "I'll always be okay with you around, Jeremy!"

Ginger's eyes lit up.

_It hit me like a ton of bricks! I suddenly got the idea I was looking for!_

"That's it! The secret key! Boys like dumb girls!"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #240 [FSD204] - Dumb and in Love (02.13.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

The next day, at Danville Elementary...

The hallways were filled with students, each depositing their coats, or jackets, and their backpacks in their lockers while gathering everything they would need for their morning classes. Ginger was at hers, doing the same, when she sensed Baljeet nearby. She spun around, and at that exact moment, Baljeet walked right past her. He did not notice her, as he was currently engaged in a conversation with Phineas and Ferb.

_On a normal day, I'd get sad anytime Baljeet passed me in the hall without recognizing me! But today..._

Ginger reached into her backpack and pulled out a black and yellow book, which was titled 'Being a Dummy for... Um... Non-Dummies: A Reference for Singles!' She opened it, quickly skimmed through it, and then tossed it over her head and into her locker.

"Okay!" she exclaimed. "Operation: Win a Cute Boy's Heart, is a **GO**!"

Ginger started skipping towards Baljeet, humming a tune as she did.

_Step One: To make someone fall for you, fall for them! Literally!_

Baljeet had his head in his locker, so he did not notice Ginger heading his way. Ginger continued skipping along until she was two steps away. She then, purposely, tripped over her own feet...

"**WHOAAAA!**"

Baljeet pulled his head out, closed his locker door, and was then met by Ginger, who was falling face-first towards him. Naturally, Baljeet was far from the quickest person when it came to split-second reactions, so instead of him catching Ginger, as one might expect, he just screamed...

"**AAAAAHHHH!**"

...and was taken down to the ground, along with Ginger and all of their belongings. Some laughter could be heard coming from a few of the kids nearby, but Ginger was more concerned to the pain coming from her left knee, which was the first part of her body to hit the hard, marble floor. Oh, and Baljeet's well-being, too.

_Addendum to Step One: Make sure target will actually catch you._

"What the hey?" Baljeet asked.

_Make sure after the fall to say something like, "Oops, did I do that?_

"Sorry," Ginger apologized. "My fault."

_Ugh! No! Wrong, Ginger, wrong!_

"You should really be more careful," Baljeet told her as he got back up. "Somebody could get hurt! Most possibly, me!"

Ginger saw that Baljeet was a tad miffed. She then felt her knee throb again, which in turn helped her remember...

_Step Two: Think about the person who gets the lowest grades in your class, and talk just like them! If that person happens to you, then this should be simple! Just like you!_

Ginger started by getting Baljeet's attention with her sweetest voice...

"Oh, Baljeet..."

He looked up from picking up his binders from the floor. Ginger then continued, as her voice developed a menacing tone...

"...you best pick up my books if you know what's good for ya! Boy!"

Baljeet raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Um, Ginger?"

"Yes?"

"Impressionism is not your thing. You sound nothing like Buford."

Baljeet went back to his task, while Ginger prepared to move on to the next step in her plan.

_Step Three: Find the one thing your target's really, really good at, and pretend to be interested in it. Unless you're already good at said thing, too, in which case... fake **NOT** being good!_

"Baljeet, I need your help!"

"With what, I may ask?"

"I need you to tutor me in math. Yeah, math!"

Again, Baljeet was confused.

"I find that difficult to believe since both you and I are on the mathletes team!"

Ginger began to sweat. She had to think of something quick, or she could lose him for good.

"The one with... with... with..."

She scanned the hallway for something to use as her answer. The first thing she spotted was a stop sign hanging on the wall...

"Sign..."

...and then a boy walking by with a field trip permission slip in hand, signed by both his parents...

"Co-sign..."

...and, lastly, a circular navigational compass, which has been spray painted on a nearby locker.

"...and compass!"

Baljeet thought for a second, as Ginger twiddled her thumbs nervously.

"Wait!" Baljeet spoke up. "Sine, cosine, compass? You mean... trigonometry?"

Ginger grinned and nodded. "Yeah... that!"

"Hmmm... perhaps a little advanced for primary school. Nevertheless, anything for a fellow mathlete!"

"Really?"

"Oh, yes! We shall talk over, say, lunch? See you then!"

With that, Baljeet got the last of his things and trotted off to class. Ginger just stood there and waited until he had stepped into his classroom and out of sight before finally reacting.

"I... I did it! **I'M HAVING LUNCH WITH BALJEET! WOOHOO!**"

Suddenly, the school bell rang. Ginger quickly gathered her things off the floor and ran for class herself.

* * *

><p>At lunch...<p>

Ginger emerged from the lunch line, grabbing some utensils before she headed off to find a seat. Or Baljeet's, to be more precise, so she could claim an open seat next to him.

"Aha!" she exclaimed upon finally spotting him.

She began making her way towards him. Along the way, she passed by Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson, whom Ginger normally ate lunch with. The former two did not seem to notice, as Isabella was too busy ogling Phineas - who was a few seats down - while Gretchen had her head buried in a book. Adyson, though, saw Ginger kept walking, and that set off alarm bells in her head.

"Ginger! Ginger!"

Adyson called out Ginger's name twice, but she did not respond. She snapped her fingers, which instantly got her friends' attention, and all Adyson had to do was point at the empty seat next to her and then Ginger for them to realize something was up.

They all started watching Ginger, who had finally reached Baljeet. Buford, unfortunately, was sitting in the seat to Baljeet's left, eating both of their lunches. But the seat to Baljeet's right was empty. Ginger smiled.

_Step Four: Pretend to not understand everything your target tells you about the thing they are good at. The more time they spend trying to get you to understand it, the more time you spend with them!_

"And so," Baljeet explained, "the square of the hypotenuse is always equal to the sum of the square of the adjacent side and the square of the side opposite!"

Ginger gasped. "Oh!"

"You see?"

"Actually, no. Why you talkin' about squares? It's a triangle, silly!"

"You use squares to permutate how long each side of the triangle is!"

"Not square! Triangle!"

"I do not mean literal square! I mean square as in multiplying the actual length of a side by itself!"

"You obviously don't know your math, Baljeet, because that is a triangle! Triangle! Not square!"

As Ginger continued her back-and-forth argument with Baljeet, she did not notice that Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson had moved a few seats closer and were trying to eavesdrop. Gretchen kept scratching her head in confusion while Isabella and Adyson kept looking at each other, dumbfounded by the words coming out of their friend's mouth.

* * *

><p>After school...<p>

"Baljeet!"

Ginger called out to Baljeet, who was just about to board the bus home. She ran up to him, and without thinking, grabbed his hand with one of hers.

"I really, really want to understand trigo... trigo... trigo..."

"Trigonometry?"

"Yeah, that! Please!"

"But at lunch, it seemed it was all too much for you!"

"I... I... I..."

_Step Five: In the event you realize your target may be losing interest, lie your way back into favor! Whatever doesn't hurt them..._

"...it was too loud in the cafeteria!" Ginger exclaimed. "I can't really think with a lot of noise around."

"I see. You are just like me, then. I suppose we should just find a quieter place for me to teach you."

_Step Six: If you still have their interest, you have one foot in the door! Now get the other... by convincing them to invite you to their house._

"Ooh, I have an idea, Baljeet! Why don't we go to your house?"

"You know, that is not a bad idea! I strive to keep my living quarters free of sound whenever I am working on school assignments at home!"

"So I can come over?"

"Yes. Yes, you may."

Baljeet got onto the bus. Ginger smiled once more.

"First lunch," she thought to herself, "and now I'm going to his house? This is going better than I thought!"

Ginger climbed aboard and, seeing Baljeet's seat empty, ran for it. Again, along the way, she passed by her friends, ignoring them in exchange for getting to sit next to her crush on the way home. This time, though, none of the girls let this go by unnoticed, as they all peeked over their seats to see Ginger spurn them for a boy.

Even if it was just Baljeet.

* * *

><p>Later...<p>

Ginger was walking alongside Baljeet, on the way to his house.

"I apologize beforehand if my room is a little unclean," Baljeet told Ginger. "I was not expecting company, you see."

Not too far behind the pair, though, a large bush with six legs was tailing them. They were completely oblivious to it, although those in the bush were doing a good job of blending in with the scenery. The three who were hiding in the shrubbery waited until Baljeet and Ginger turned a corner, disappearing on the other side of a picket fence, before revealing themselves.

"I'm not sure we should be doing this, Chief," Gretchen said aloud, as she was the first to pop out of the bush. "We shouldn't be spying on her."

"I'm with Gretch," stated Adyson, the second to appear. "We kinda knew Ginger's had a crush on Baljeet for awhile! Sure, she's acting like she's lost a few brain cells. But love makes people do dumb things! Case in point, you, like, three times a day with Phineas!"

Isabella popped up, with a glare on her face directed at Adyson.

"Strong words coming from someone who's never been in love!"

There was a short period of silence after that statement, as no one could think of what to say next. Finally, Adyson spoke up...

"Sorry. That was uncalled for on my part."

Isabella relaxed, as her angry glare turned into a sad frown.

"Don't worry about it. It's just that, well, I've been trying to spend time with Phineas recently, but it seems he's always busy! All I'm asking for is half an hour, maybe two, of him and me just being together. Either him helping me with something, or me just watching him work. That's not too much to ask for on a daily basis, right?"

Isabella looked at her friends for an answer. But again she had rendered both of them speechless. After a minute, it was Isabella doing the apologizing.

"Sorry. This isn't about me. This is about Ginger, acting dumb and uncharacteristic of herself, just to win a boy's heart! As Fireside Girls, it is our civic duty to ensure one of her own does not have to dumb herself down in order to get a boy to notice her! Besides, this gets my mind off the 'not being with Phineas' thing. So, are you with me?"

Gretchen and Adyson thought about it for a minute.

"You know I'll do anything for you, Chief!"

"I suppose, since there's nothing better to do."

"Then, girls, let's go save Ginger! From herself!"

The three ducked their heads back into the bush, and they started walking again.

* * *

><p>Baljeet opened the front door of his house for Ginger, and motioned for her to go in first. She complied.<p>

"Mother! I have returned!" shouted Baljeet, closing the door behind him. "And I have a guest!"

"Would you like to me bring you and your friend some snacks?" she bellowed from the kitchen.

"That will not be necessary! We will just be studying!"

"Well, let me know if you need anything!"

Baljeet led Ginger to his room.

_I couldn't believe it! I was with Baljeet! I was in his house! I was in his room! His room!_

"Please pardon the inadequate shape of my room," apologized Baljeet. "I did not have time to tidy up before school today."

Ginger looked around the room, which to her surprise, was not messy at all. It was immaculate. The carpet was clean, there was nothing on the floor that was not supposed to be there, the bed had been neatly made, and all of the books in his mini-library had been alphabetized and were free of dust. Contrary to what Baljeet had said, Ginger could not find anything wrong with the room.

She then saw that Baljeet was now over by his lamp. With a protractor in hand, he adjusted the lampshade so that it was titled further up by three-quarters of a degree.

"There! Perfect! Okay, Ginger, are you ready to learn in earnest about the astounding ins-and-outs of trigonometry?"

_Step Seven: Repeat Steps One through Four as needed to get the desired effect._

"Oh, that! With the triangles and those things between the triangles... heh heh."

"What?"

"I meant... math is dumb!"

"**WHAT?**"

"Oops. I mean... I mean..."

Ginger started running towards Baljeet, and then she purposely tripped. This time, though, she did it too soon, and thus she ended up crashing onto the ground without banging into Baljeet in the process.

"Do you have the mad cow disease?" Baljeet asked, starting to believe something was wrong with Ginger.

"Um..."

Ginger hesitated to respond, and that spurred Baljeet to action.

"I need to look something up. So I will be back. Eventually."

With that, Baljeet bolted out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"That didn't go as bad as I thought!" proclaimed Ginger.

She pushed herself up off the carpet and back to her feet.

"I thought he was going to figure out what I was up to! Whew!"

Suddenly, Ginger began to hear noises.

"What is she doing?"

"Acting like a fool, that's what!"

"I've never seen anyone be that desperate over a cute boy!"

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

But they were not coming from in the house, but outside of it. To be more precise, they were coming from just outside Baljeet's bedroom window.

"Just because you're jealous that there's not a cute boy you can pine after..."

"Jealous, Izzy? You know I could get any boy I wanted. If I wanted."

"Oh, that's a load of..."

"Girls!" a third voice suddenly popped in. "She's coming!"

Ginger opened the window and peeked her head out. There was a strange bush a few feet away which she had remembered was not there when she got to the house. It was still at the moment, but Ginger smirked, knowing of a way to draw something, or someone, out of it.

"What's that, Phineas? You want to give Isabella a promise ring?"

Like clockwork, Isabella popped right out of the bush.

"I accept, Phineas, I accept!" she declared.

Seconds later, Isabella realized her mistake as she saw Ginger staring at her, with her arms crossed over her chest. Adyson then decided to stand up, snickering and pointing at Isabella.

"Ha ha! You fell for that one!"

"Ahem!"

Ginger coughed to get Adyson's attention... to which the brunette responded, "Aw, nuts!"

On the other side of Isabella, Gretchen rose up out of the bush as well. She shrugged her shoulders and said aloud...

"Eh... it was inevitable."

"What are you girls spying on me? Can't you see what I'm trying to do?"

"You're acting like a fool!" shouted Adyson.

"What Adyson means," spoke up Isabella, "is that we saw you do things to impress Baljeet that, well, don't seem like things you'd normally do."

"How do you know all of this isn't my normal behavior?"

"It's been nine months since there was a day in which I hadn't seen you at all. I'm pretty sure that's enough."

But Ginger was determined to prove that her actions today were her normal behavior, even if it meant climbing out a bedroom window to do so.

"Ginger," Gretchen called out, in warning.

"Not now."

Ginger waved off Gretchen's counsel as she lifted one foot over the windowsill and out of the house. As she motioned to swing her other foot over, her forward momentum sent her falling...

"**AIYEEEEEEE...**"

Ginger hit the ground head-first, and blacked out.

* * *

><p>Ginger slowly opened her eyes, and was greeted by the sight of the girls gathered around her. She sat up, and suddenly a small bag of ice fell off of her head and into her lap.<p>

"Don't get up yet," Isabella advised. "You took a pretty nasty hit to the head there."

"Wha?"

Ginger tried to remember what she had been doing, and noticed she was in a reclined lawn chair in Isabella's backyard.

"At least Adyson got her Concussion First-Aid Patch!"

"Finally!"

Ginger reached up with her arms and found that Adyson had wrapped the top of her head with gauze. That ended up jogging her memory.

"You guys! And Baljeet's house! And the fall!"

"Don't worry," Isabella said, putting an assuring hand on Ginger's shoulder. "We didn't tell Baljeet what you were up to. He just believes that you're under some temporary mental disability. We told him it wasn't serious, and we'd help get you back on your feet. He wished you well."

Ginger nodded in understanding, but in reality, the only sentence that stuck her was the last one.

"He wishes me well," Ginger thought aloud. "Ahhhhh..."

_Step I-Forgot-What-Number-I-Was-On: If you've gone so far as to hurt yourself, stop and consider other possibilities to win your love's heart. And seek medical attention._

Suddenly, Ginger remembered something else...

"Oh, no! I was going to ask Baljeet to help me do my math homework!"

"Trigonometry?" queried Isabella.

"No, advanced long division! Girls?"

"Alright!" Isabella looked at her fellow troop members gleefully. "Who wants to earn their Numeric Tutor Patch?"

The trio pulled up some chairs from the patio, and they gathered around Ginger to help her with her homework.

_And that, dear readers, is how to win a cute boy's heart! If you've actually used this to successfully to snag your dreamboat, please tell me!_

_I could really use the advice._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Aw, Ginger. Maybe one day. And don't worry, folks, as this is far from the only installment this season with romantic hijinks.<p>

Next week - Isn't Milly a little young to be learning about **THAT**?


	15. Growing Pains

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Milly is the last of the main seven to get a solo story, and in this very special entry, she learns about the p-word!

Yes, this is still a K+/PG series. Why do you ask?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisite (i.e. read before reading this):**  
>- Entry #093-5 ("Phineas is Mine!," Chapter 5)<p>

* * *

><p>"Milly! Milly!"<p>

Milly was holding her breath as she hid behind a parked car on the side of the street. Slowly, she peeked out around the side. She saw Isabella and the rest of the girls heading her way, and she noted that their eyes were scanning left and right. They were searching for her, and had been for a few minutes. Isabella was the only one calling Milly's name, though, and Milly could tell from the continually descending tone that her friend was getting more annoyed and impatient by the second.

"Milly? **COME OUT RIGHT NOW!**"

Milly ducked back behind the car, sat on the ground, wrapped her arms around her raised knees, and began shaking in fear.

_Entry #099 - Written by Milly_

_Have you ever seen something you... weren't supposed to? And now you're seeing it already in everyone around you? And... you're fearful that you'll see it in you, too?_

_The truth is that, no matter what I saw, it's going to happen. Tomorrow, next month, or in a couple years, it's going to happen. I won't be a child forever. One day, it's going to happen._

"**AAAAAHHHHH!**"

Milly emerged from her hiding spot, screaming in mortal terror. In the process, she had forgotten the book that she had carried with her today. It was open to a page which had one word highlighted in yellow on it. Ten instances of that one word on that page alone, to be exact. That word?

Puberty.

**-**  
><strong>Entry #099 [FSD207] - Growing Pains (02.20.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_It all started two days ago..._

Milly had just arrived at the library, and she was tagging along with Phineas, Ferb, Isabella, Buford, and Baljeet. She had a look of concern on her face, but Isabella had put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay," Isabella told her. "You'll knock out these book reports, no problem!"

"If you say so," replied Milly.

The group started going their separate ways. The girls traveled to the Junior Fiction section. Or, that was the plan, until they passed by the Romance section of the Young Adult Fiction shelves. Isabella forgot that she had accompanied Milly to help her, and instead, found herself a few good books to browse through for a few minutes. Milly, meanwhile, just continued on.

A few minutes later, after finding three of the books on her list...

"Okay," she thought. "Now, I've got just under three weeks until school starts! Reading them all and writing those reports is doable in that short a time, right?"

As she tried to work out a plan of attack in her mind, she started walking. Completely distracted, she turned the corner to head to the front desk to check out, and she ran smack into the back of one Jeremy Johnson, Phineas' sister's boyfriend. Upon doing so, she knocked him forward into the half-full cart of books next to him. Jeremy managed to catch himself, but not his cart, which felt to the floor with a loud clang, and all of its contents spilled onto the carpeted floor.

"Oh!" Milly gasped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," Jeremy said to her as he pulled the cart upright. "Accidents happen."

Jeremy squatted down to start picking the books off of the ground.

"Let me help you!"

Milly placed her books on the cart and then proceeded to help Jeremy clean up the mess that she had made. But even as she did, her mind wandered back to planning how to do her book reports. In doing so, as she began placing books back on the cart, she inserted a book that was titled 'What's Happening to Me?' in between two of hers, 'A Wrinkle in Time' and 'The Phantom Tollbooth.' She failed to realize it as she finished putting the other displaced books onto the cart. Once they were done, Milly reached for her books, still unaware of her earlier error and grabbing the three leftmost books on the top shelf of the cart and leaving behind 'Tollbooth.' After apologizing a third time, Milly finally resumed her walk to the front desk.

She was the first of her friends to get there, as everyone else was still milling their selections. Milly handed her books and her library card to the librarian, and waited for her to complete the checkout process. But upon getting to 'What's Happening to Me?,' which was at the bottom of the stack, the older woman seemed perplexed. She shot an odd glance over the counter and down at Milly, who flashed an innocent smile back at her, and then pulled back. The librarian shrugged her shoulders.

"Whatever. Kids sure are learning about these things earlier and earlier."

She stamped the books, and Milly was still none the wise to her goof.

* * *

><p><em>Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher gave us all rides home. I had no idea that I had borrowed the wrong book by accident, and neither did anyone else. I wish I had taken a minute to make sure before I had left the library, even though I was confident I had the right books. Even more so when I found out what that wrong book was that night...<em>

Milly was lying in her twin size bed, atop her white comforter which had a flowery pattern on it. Her feet were up in the air, constantly moving, for as one leg was being lowered down, the other was being raised straight up simultaneously. Her chin was resting calmly on the palms of her upward-facing hands, as her eyes looked down at the book in front of her, slowly going from left to right as she read to herself.

Upon reaching the end of the chapter, she lifted the book off of the bed, picked up the bookmark she had placed under it about 20 minutes ago, and used it to save her place. She closed 'A Wrinkle in Time,' satisfied with her progress thus far.

"That was okay," she told herself. "But it's starting to put me to sleep. Maybe I should start with 'The Phantom Tollbooth' instead."

She reached for her small stack. She reached for the book on the bottom, underneath 'Island of the Blue Dolphins.' Milly froze when she pulled it out and saw that 'What's Happening to Me?' was in her hand instead of 'The Phantom Tollbooth.'

"Wait, wha?"

Confused, Milly hopped off her bed and went to her closet to search her backpack for the other book. But upon reaching it...

"Wait! I didn't bring my backpack to the library! So that means I must've borrowed the wrong book! But how?"

_It didn't take me long to realize the obvious._

"I must've grabbed the wrong book from the cart after helping Jeremy! I guess I should've been paying more attention. Oh well. Looks like I'm gonna have to go back tomorrow."

Milly climbed back on the bed, put the mistaken book aside, and she decided to grab 'Dolphins' and start on that.

_Now, normally, this would be the end of the story. I forget about the book, morning comes, I swap it for the right one, and so on..._

But as the minutes passed, Milly could not help but look up from 'Dolphins' and glance over at the other book. Several times.

_But..._

"Oh, I can't take it any more!" she shouted. "I've got to see what it's about, even if it wasn't on my list!"

She closed 'Dolphins,' this time without using a bookmark to save her place, and she snatched up 'Happening' to give it a read.

_Well, what did you expect? It... called out to me!_

She opened it and began reading through it.

"So many big words," she quickly noted. "Great. It's like a textbook!"

Her eyes wandered down a few lines, and she came across an intriguing sentence, which she read aloud.

"'When a child reaches a certain age, their body begins going through many changes.'"

Milly soon came across a word that she was not familiar with.

"Pu-pu-pu ber-ber-ber ty-ty-ty. Pu-ber-ty. Puberty. Hmmm... what's that?"

She turned the page...

_Warning! If you're currently trying out our beta audiobook system, I suggest you turn down your volume. Trust me. You want to._

...and stopped. Her eyes went wide as the next pair of pages had some diagrams on them. Some very intricate diagrams of the human body. Very, very intricate.

"Um, wha? What is that? **WHAT... IS... THAT? AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Milly threw the book up in the air and started running around her room in a panic, screaming her head off.

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

After about two minutes, Milly decided to jump into her closet and close the door behind her. She turned on the lights, then took a seat in the corner of the enclosed space and stayed there.

"That can't be right," Milly thought. "I bumped into Jeremy in the fiction half of the library. So nothing in that book is true, right? It just can't be! It just can't be!"

_Believe it or not, I had just scarred myself with an image that I wasn't supposed to see. Not for a couple years, at least. But at the time, I didn't believe what I had seen._

A few minutes later, Milly emerged from the closet. She had calmed down, convinced that what she had seen in the book could not be real. One step at a time, she slowly made her way back to her bed.

_You'd think I'd be too scared to pick up that book again._

Milly climbed back up onto her bed, and waiting for her was the book she had sent airborne earlier. It was lying face down.

"Just close the book and put it away," Milly told herself aloud. "Too scary! Too scary."

And yet, she flipped it right side up and proceeded to stare at the diagrams once more. Three seconds later...

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

...Milly sprinted back to the closet.

_But I didn't know any better!_

* * *

><p>Five minutes later...<p>

Milly approached her bed once again.

"Okay. This time, close it. You don't have to flip it right side up."

Unfortunately, this time it was already face up...

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

...and back to the closet Milly went.

* * *

><p>3:30 am<p>

Milly's eyes were heavy as she climbed onto her bed once more, having long lost track of how many times she had seen that picture in that book and had ran into the closet in fright.

_I had no idea if I had finally become desensitized to them or if I was just so tired that I didn't care, but this time upon picking up the book and staring at that page..._

Milly gave it another look, and this time she did not turn away, or close her eyes, or scream in terror. She just stared at it, and stared at it, and stared at it...

And then she turned the page and resumed reading.

"This isn't so bad," she thought.

_And suddenly, a book that I was afraid of for hours on end now did not seem scary at all. In fact, I was now so enthralled that I wanted to continue on, and learn more._

* * *

><p><em>And boy, did I learn more!<em>

The next morning, in the woods, Milly was making her way to the clubhouse to meet up with the rest of the girls. She had brought her book on puberty with her, and she was still reading through it.

"Whoa." She gasped. "I never knew our bodies could change that much, so quickly! So, so scary! I'm sure glad we're all still a year or two from all that happening to us!"

She arrived at the clubhouse, where all the girls were already waiting for her.

"About time!" shouted Isabella, who had her hands on her hips. "Do you know what time it is?"

Gretchen answered the question for Milly, who did not seem to know. "It's 10:01."

"Did I ask you, Gretchen? I asked Milly! And, Milly, didn't I say to be here at 10:00?"

Adyson walked over to come to Milly's defense. "You're gonna bust her for being one whole minute late? We're doing the same thing we do every day. Getting a 'Let's Help Phineas and Ferb' patch!"

"Don't sass me! One, you know what it's called, and two, as troop leader..."

As Isabella and Adyson went at it, even though Isabella was the only one shooting her mouth off, Milly leaned over to whisper to Katie.

"What's got her all snippy today?"

But Katie had other concerns, as she was grabbing the tails of her shirt and was trying to pull them downward.

"Tell me the truth. I'm gaining weight, aren't I?"

Milly gave her best friend the once over. Katie did not look as if she had put on some pounds since she last saw her yesterday. But her failure to give an immediate answer sent her into a tizzy.

"I did, didn't I? I knew I shouldn't have had that slice of bread for breakfast!"

Katie ran off to take care of her problem. But before Milly could chase after her, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder, then drape her arm over it. It was Holly, who had a look of anguish on her face and her other hand clutching her stomach.

"Speaking of breakfast," she groaned, "ugh! Hurts so much!"

Holly then lifted her right arm off of Milly and dragged herself towards the clubhouse entrance.

"What's going on?" Milly asked herself aloud. "Everyone's acting strange."

She looked over at Isabella and saw her staring longingly at a photo of her and Phineas. She sighed happily. She then lowered it and saw Adyson standing in front of her, and she hastily lost her composure.

"Stop standing there like a bump on a log! **GO GET THE BUCKET!**"

Adyson nodded, then ran for the clubhouse entrance.

"I've seen this all before," noted Milly.

Isabella went back to calmly admiring her photo, while Milly opened her book once more and found the page she was looking for.

"Weight gain? Stomach pains? Mood swings? OMG, those are some of the early signs of puberty!"

Milly pulled out a pair of binoculars out of nowhere and turned her attention towards Ginger and Gretchen. She first turned her focus on Ginger. The Asian girl was in the middle of an explanation that required her to get on her tiptoes. But Milly had not seen that, and instead saw that Ginger's chin was at the same height as the top of Gretchen's head - which had not been the case yesterday. Milly then whirled in Gretchen's direction, and increased the zoom on her binoculars by 100 percent. In doing so, she spotted a very, very small hair being to grow out of Gretchen's left arm.

"Growing in height? Hair appearing in places other than the head? No, no, no, no, not them too!"

Milly headed for the clubhouse entrance, bolting past Isabella...

"**HEY!** It's not ladylike to run!"

...and to the door, she opened it, and was greeted by the sight of Adyson.

"Oh, great timing! I didn't know how I was gonna get that open!"

The brunette was carrying a metal bucket filled to the brim with green apples. It seemed normal enough. Yet, Milly seem to have an adverse reaction to it. One that reminded her of a recent event involving them.

"**EEK!**" Milly screamed. "Apples!"

Adyson was confused. "Um, yeah? They're apples!"

"Not those apples! **THOSE** apples! **EEK!**"

Milly pointed at Adyson's chest, which was not flat as she had expected, but had a sizable protrusion. Milly screamed once more before spinning around and running in mortal terror. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they wondered what was up with Milly.

"Alright, who's been giving her sugar cakes again? You girls **KNOW** how she gets!"

"I dunno," Isabella thought out loud. "But all I know is, we gotta catch her and find out what's going on! 'Cause if we don't, I, uh, we, won't get to earn some 'Help Thy Neighbor' patches! **COME ON!**"

The six girls began chasing after Milly. The curly haired girl eventually made her way out of the woods and into the suburban streets of Danville.

"Milly! Milly!"

She ducked behind a parked car on the side of the street.

"Milly? **COME OUT RIGHT NOW!**"

_And that explains why I was on the run from the others! Now, what happened next? Oh, right, I remember! Mortal terror!_

"**AAAAAHHHHH!**"

Milly emerged from her hiding spot, still screaming her head off. In the process, she had forgotten the book that she had carried with her today. She made her way down the street and eventually came across the front yard of the Flynn-Fletcher residence. Milly saw Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher emerge from the driver's side of her station wagon, and she immediately ran up to her.

"Oh, my!" Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher gasped as Milly wrapped her arms around her and started crying into the housewife's blouse. "What's wrong?"

Milly lifted her face up to explain as Candace exited from the other side of the car. But all that would come out of her mouth were an assortment of jumbled words.

"Swings! Hairy! Weight! Pains! **APPLES!**"

"What in the world are you talking about, dear? Candace, a little help?"

Candace seemed suspicious of Milly.

"Didn't you buy apples as a gift for Phineas last week? And didn't that **NOT** work?"

"**EVERYTHING'S CHANGING AND I'M NOT READY TO CHANGE!**" Milly suddenly yelled at the top of her lungs.

"**CANDACE!**"

"What? C'mon, Mom, I didn't do anything! I don't even know why she's freaking out!"

"I think we might know..."

The trio saw Isabella standing at the edge of the driveway with a book in hand, and the rest of the Fireside Girls were with her. Isabella walked over, holding the book up so that Linda and Candace could see the title.

"Milly, where did you get this book from?"

Milly used the back of her hands to dry the tears from her eyes, and then she replied, "From the library yesterday."

_So I explained what had happened. Once I was done._

"I see." Linda breathed a sigh of relief. "A bit of an overreaction, but not unexpected from someone unfamiliar with it. Milly, you have nothing to worry about. Yes, some of the changes you might go through sound scary, and they may be painful. But everyone goes through it. I did when I was your age, as did Candace, and so will you and the rest of the girls."

Candace laughed. "I never acted like her going through puberty!"

"I have home movies that prove otherwise."

The girls gathered around Milly to comfort her.

"It sounds like the last 12 hours haven't exactly made any sense to you," Isabella stated matter-of-factly. "If you want, we can all help you understand it."

"You mean understand puberty, since you're all already going through it?" questioned Milly.

The girls all looked at each other and laughed.

"Us? Oh, no. AFAIK, none of us are 'in it' yet."

"**WHAT?** But the signs..."

Milly opened the book to the page that had the signs on it. The girls quickly explained.

"Ate too little because I'm getting self-conscious."

"Ate too much and now I'm wishing I hadn't."

"I was on my tiptoes to show how tall this boy I saw the other day was."

"That was a piece of dead grass."

"And you know how much I abhor spending any unnecessary waking seconds of my life **NOT** being with Phineas. Speaking of which, can we hurry this up?"

That was directed at Adyson, who reasoned her way out of her 'sign' by pulling her beret out of her shirt.

"I brought my old one, which is two sizes too small for my head, and didn't realize it until it was too late, so to keep from losing it, I stuffed it in my shirt for safekeeping!"

"Ah!" Milly exclaimed. "For a minute, I thought they sprouted up overnight!"

Adyson gulped. "That would be scary."

"You won't have to worry about that," Isabella said with a chuckle. "Just look at Candace."

"**HEY!**" the teen redhead shouted. "Standing right here!"

"I think that this crisis has been averted," deduced Linda. "Who wants pie?"

"**I DO!**" all of the girls shouted in unison.

Linda and Candace led the way in. Milly, though, still had one question to ask her friends.

"That book only covers puberty in girls. It's the same in boys, right?"

The girls all giggled with glee. Milly became distraught as they all headed inside.

"Oh, come on! I can't get any more freaked out than I already am! Come on! Tell me! Tell me!"

_So, now that you've heard me tell you how I learned what puberty is, I'm gonna go pass out! Good night!_

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Ladies and gentlemen, that's the closest to an 'after school special' you'll probably see in this series. I'll say, this was a toughie, trying to get the right tone to address the subject matter without being too offensive. Not to mention that things are complicated by the fact that I'm a guy writing an episode about a girl learning about puberty, without any first- or third-hand experience. So, yeah... awkward doesn't even begin to describe my feelings about this.<p>

So, why? Those of you who read "Phineas is Mine" are aware (as I noted after Milly's chapter there as well) that I'm using Milly as my go-to open-to-wild-personality-interpretations character in my stories. Will I keep doing these kind of stories for Milly? That all depends on what other far-reaching topics there are to explore with her... and if you guys still want to see such tales.

Onto next week, and the winter/mid-season finale! Isabella's ready to share some very, very big news... what could it be?


	16. Big News

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Jumping right in... this is the winter/mid-season finale! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #110 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Hi! Whatcha doin'?_

_It's been a long time since I last uploaded an entry, but I figured since I haven't been a Fireside Girl for a few years now, you all would understand._

"Do you know if my friends are here yet? The reservation is under Sweetwater."

21-year old Isabella Garcia-Shapiro had a giddy smile on her face. She waited patiently in the lobby as the maitre'd looked down at her reservation list and found it near the top. She replied, "Yes, they are. Right this way, miss..."

She led Isabella deeper into the restaurant, and it did not take long for them to reach the booth where Adyson, Ginger, and Holly were waiting. And they were all grown up as well.

"She finally showed up," Adyson chuckled. "For a recent college grad, you're sure slow to realize that it's no longer cool to be fashionably late, right?"

"I still love you, girl," Holly said, wearing a red-haired wig to mask her identity, "but you do realize that I leave on my first cross-country tour tomorrow, right? And I've still only packed half my wardrobe!"

"Give her a break," pleaded Ginger. "I'm sure she has her reasons. Besides, we should be happy! This is the first time the five of us have been in the same place in months!"

Suddenly, the holographic projector in the middle of the table came to life, and a three-dimensional miniature version of Gretchen appeared before them.

"I wish I was there in body," Gretchen told them, "instead of just in virtual reality. But it's the same thing."

Isabella smiled as she slid into the empty spot on the side of the booth next to Adyson.

"Have I got some **BIG** news! Today's the best day **EVER**!"

"Why?" asked Adyson. "Did you score the winning bucket in the women's basketball championship game last year?"

Adyson then flashed off her accompanying title ring, on her right ring finger.

"Or maybe your first CD went platinum in just ten days!" exclaimed Holly.

She then showed off her platinum record to the gang, which somehow had fit into her disco ball shiny $500 purse.

"Or learn you're spending nine months abroad in Holland," questioned Gretchen, "helping the world's greatest scientist create the first heavy-duty, zero-pollution power source?"

She stepped aside and showed off the windmills in the background behind her in her projection.

"Or you finally figured out the difference between regular and decaf?"

The four women turned towards Ginger and shot odd, confused looks at her.

"Gimme a break!" Ginger defended her statement. "You can be a coffee drinker for four years and not know the difference!"

"It's better than all of those combined," Isabella shouted, "except maybe Ginger's thing..."

Isabella pulled out her right hand from behind her back, which had been there the entire time, and the girls nearly lost when they saw the sparkling diamond ring on it.

"Girls, he asked me to marry him!"

"**EEEEEEEEEE!**" the women all squealed in delight.

_Yep! Today, I'm now officially engaged!_

**-**  
><strong>Entry #110 [FSD209] - Big News (02.27.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

It was a couple days later, and Isabella was knocking on the door of apartment number 303 at the Lobster Estates complex. She waited for a few seconds, and the door was eventually opened by 26-year old Candace Flynn-Johnson.

"Isabella! I've been expecting you!"

The two shared a friendly hug. Candace then stepped to the side to allow Isabella to come into the apartment, and then she closed the door. The two made their way to the dining area, which was only a few steps away from the entrance.

"So," Isabella spoke up, "where is she? Where's Amanda? Oh, I bet she's grown again since I last saw her."

Candace giggled as he motioned for Isabella to take a seat. "She's sprouting like a beanstalk, I tell you! You'll see her later... she and Jeremy are out buying school supplies."

Isabella gasped. "OMG, she's starting kindergarten next month, isn't she?"

"I know! I'm thinking about signing her up for the Lil' Sparks!"

"I'm sure she'll love it!"

"But enough about that. Show me... **IT!**"

Isabella held out her hand to show Candace her engagement ring.

"Diamonds? **WOW!** Lemme guess... he actually went to Africa and mined them himself, didn't he?"

"He wouldn't say, but knowing him..."

The two girls laughed heartily.

"Oh. Good to see he hasn't changed over the years."

"Unlike you. You're so much more... more... more..."

Isabella hesitated to say the word, as she did not want to offend Candace - particularly since she was putting her wedding in the redhead's hands - but...

"You can say it, Isabella. Mature. I'm more mature. Yeah, I know. Marriage changes a person."

"On that topic... I'm hiring you to make sure mine goes off without a hitch. Unlike the last three weddings I went to..."

* * *

><p><em>First, there was Jeremy and Candace's wedding six years ago...<em>

"You **SURE** you wanna do this today?" Jeremy asked. "I mean, it's not gonna hurt to postpone it just one day..."

"**YES!**" yelled Candace. "It's gotta be today! **TODAY, TODAY, TODAY!**"

She shouted that as her guests were being drenched in a torrential downpour at their outdoor wedding, swans were wandering around without a care in the world, and only one person of the 20-man orchestra they had hired - the triangle player - had shown up.

Isabella was frowning as Gretchen sat next to her, holding up an umbrella to keep them reasonably drier than most of the other guests.

"Take a note, Gretchen. Check the weather **BEFORE** spending four hours getting hair done."

Gretchen nodded, saving the reminder to memory.

* * *

><p><em>Then, there was Baljeet and Ginger's, two years ago...<em>

Baljeet was freaking out as baby elephants were being marched into the mosque, paper komodo dragons were hanging from the ceiling, and the caterers had brought in a bunch of boxes that were marked donuts, but they actually had rice balls in them.

"This is **NOT** the wedding I envisioned," Baljeet cried.

Her wife-to-be at the time, Ginger, tapped him on the shoulder.

"I think it's about to get worse."

She pointed to the mosque entrance, where an irate Mishti had forced her way past the doormen.

"Baljeet is betrothed to me, you harlot!"

Mishti leaped at Ginger and tackled her to the ground.

"While I have always dreamed of two women fighting over me," Baljeet proclaimed loudly, "I never envisioned it would involve so much of the pulling of the hair."

* * *

><p><em>And then there was that one back in March...<em>

The church was full and everyone was facing the back, waiting for the wedding party to begin the procession. When nothing happened for a few minutes, an assortment of murmurs filled the room.

"Where's the groom?"

"Where's the bride?"

"Where's the cake?"

"Did we get the date wrong?"

"Are we at the wrong chapel?"

"Do these pants make my head look big?"

_To be fair... I don't even remember who the couple was supposed to be that time..._

* * *

><p>"That's just weird," Candace commented on the flashbacks. "And the last one... what kind of groom and bride fail to show up at their own wedding?"<p>

"Who knows?" Isabella shrugged her shoulders. "But listen, Candace. I'm trusting you to make sure this wedding goes off without a hitch! I've been dreaming of this day ever since the day I first laid my eyes on him, and I refuse to accept anything but perfect!"

"Trust me, Isabella! I've been planning this day for years!"

"I trust you, Candace! No chicken cakes, okay?"

"I can't believe you still remember **THAT**! And could you blame me? I had to put that wedding together in mere hours! We've got eight months! What could go wrong?"

Suddenly, the two women heard thunder and lightning.

"That's odd." Candace scratched her head. "The weatherman said it would be sunny all day."

* * *

><p><em>There are several important events a woman must go through before getting married. The first of which... getting a wedding dress!<em>

"Are you sure this is necessary, Candace?"

"Trust me, Isabella. Fresh out of college, entry-level job, wallowing in student loans. There's only one way you're going to be able to afford a wedding dress!"

Candace grabbed Isabella and pulled her out of the tent that they were in. Upon exiting, they found themselves among at least 100 other women, all of whom had camped out in front of Sarah's Loft in order to participate in the store's annual 'Running of the Brides.'

"I don't know." Isabella was having second thoughts. "This is not going to end well."

"You shoulda told your fiancé **NOT** to spend a fortune on the engagement ring!"

Isabella knew that the remark had come from Adyson, who was walking up to her from her left, with a hot cappuccino in each hand.

"Don't talk about him like that!" snapped Candace, as Adyson handed one of the cappuccinos to Isabella. "And where's mine?"

Candace felt someone tap her on the shoulder. It was Ginger, who had a cappuccino in each hand as well, and she gave the wedding planner the one she had asked for.

"Oh, Adyson." Isabella gave her friend a sly look. "You'll understand once you have someone who cares so much as to spend all of his money to profess his undying love for you."

Adyson huffed, then crossed her arms over her chest.

"You know I could get a boyfriend any time I want, right? I... just don't want one now, okay?"

"Settle down, Adyson," Candace said, looking over at her. "That's not the kind of language a prospective maid of honor should be using."

The brunette sighed. "You're right. I'm here to do a job. I'm here to help Isabella get the perfect dress for her wedding!"

"And don't forget me!" shouted Ginger. "I'm here too!"

"Alright then." Candace's face grew serious. "Let's do this!"

A few minutes later, the doors were opened, and the rush was on! Dozens of screaming women poured into the store, racing for the back, where all of the dresses were waiting on numerous racks. Things got insane, as they was a lot of shouting and shoving. Most of the women who were the ones actually shopping for the dresses ended up converging on those that were the most expensive, and thus the most heavily discounted. In the melee, Isabella lost track of her helpers, and she was forced to fend for herself.

She spotted one dress worth $2500 being sold for $325. That one was snatched up before she could get to it. Next was a grouping of four dress, all of the same design, which retailed for $6300 apiece, but were priced for today at $480 each. But those, too, were taken before Isabella could claim one for herself. She continued to scan the store, and seeing that many women were just starting off by grabbing whatever dress they could get to, even if they already had several in hand, Isabella stopped being so selective and decided to just go for the next dress she spotted.

That happened to be a peach-colored dress with shoulder padding and a plunging neckline. To Isabella, it resembled a dress that a princess might wear to a royal ball. Coincidentally, its tag was labeled 'Princess.'

"**YES!** This is the **ONE**!"

Isabella reached for the hangar and grabbed a hold. Unfortunately, another woman decided to do so at the same time. They both pulled it off of the rack and then a tug of war began.

"I saw it first!"

Her opponent responded. "No, **I** saw it first!"

Isabella froze. She recognized that voice.

"Adyson?"

Sure enough, Adyson was on the other side of the dress.

"It's me, Adyson!"

"I know."

Adyson then pulled the dress towards her, pulling Isabella that way as well.

"Um, hello, right here! You can just let me have the dress."

"What if I don't wanna?"

"What are you talking about? I'm the one getting married!"

Isabella then pulled the dress towards her, and Adyson was tugged in that direction, too.

"Well, so am I! Eventually! When I get a boyfriend! And he asks me to marry him! So there!"

Adyson pulled once more.

"You're supposed to be helping me!"

And so did Isabella.

"Well, there was no rule saying I couldn't help myself!"

"It's not your style! You don't have the figure for it!"

The two started pulling at the same time, holding the dress by the sleeve, stretching the fabric and the hanger it was on towards its limit.

"Last time I checked, neither did you!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, I still want it!"

"You can't have it!"

"I want it!"

The two women pulled and pulled and pulled, until, at long last, the hanger could take no more. They lost their grip at the same time, as the wire hanger snapped back into itself, resulting in the propulsion of the dress into the air. It ended up landing right into the arms of another woman nearby, one who was actually more buxom and actually had the figure for said dress.

Still, neither Adyson or Isabella were happy.

"See what you did?" growled Adyson.

"Me?" Isabella was taken aback. "You started it!"

"Nuh uh! You did!"

"No, you did! And now, instead of either of us having a dress, we don't have any at all!"

"That's what you think!" Candace shouted from afar.

They turned in the redhead's direction and saw that she was coming up to them with four different dresses in hand. Isabella was impressed.

"How... how did you get so many?"

Ginger would end up answering that question, as she ran up to the group with six dresses in her possession.

"Trust us, Izzy! This isn't our first go-round, if you know what I mean."

"No," chuckled Isabella. "No, I don't."

"Who cares?" Candace was excited. "Let's get you trying these babies on!"

* * *

><p><em>And so, I began going through the labor-intensive process of trying each and every one of those dresses on to see if they were the one. I tried one on that had long sleeves, then one with none at all. There was one that had feathers, and another that had sequins. I felt relaxed as I put on one that had a large V-shaped opening in the back, then a little unnerved when I put on one which had a slit that displayed nearly my entire thigh! There was a dress that was of a baby blue color and another of electric blue. Or maybe the first one was electric blue and the second... they're pretty similar shades of blue.<em>

_Anyway, I wasn't happy with what Adyson had done, but I figured that she had a point. So I let her try on a few as well. Soon after, even Ginger and Candace got in on the fun, each giving a dress or two a spin. Not that either of them will need another one any time soon._

_But when all the fun and games were done, I finally had come to a dark realization..._

"None of these are the one."

Isabella sighed as she grabbed a few of the dresses and begun hanging them on a nearby rack. Candace, Adyson, and Ginger all had looks on disappointment on their faces, saddened that they failed in their mission.

"Excuse me?"

The three women looked up and saw a beautiful blonde woman, about Candace's age, had come over to them. She had a gorgeous pink dress in hand, but surprisingly her face was not one of happiness.

"Any of you looking to trade? This is the only dress I could get off the rack, but... this just isn't me."

Before any of them could answer, the woman took the initiative and turned towards Isabella. Suddenly, her face lit up when she saw one of the dresses Isabella was hanging back up.

"**WAIT!** Are you putting that one back?"

Isabella stopped to see which one was the one the blonde was referring to. It was the feather-laden dress in her hand.

"Would you be willing to trade?"

She held up the pink wedding dress she had so that Isabella could get a good look at it. Her jaw dropped in shock.

_I couldn't believe it! It was so beautiful. So gorgeous. So... perfect! I had to have it! Unfortunately, I was so entranced that I couldn't move to respond. Thankfully..._

"**DEAL!**" Candace yelled upon seeing Isabella's response.

Adyson and Ginger cheered as Isabella and the blonde completed their exchange. Isabella had found her dress.

* * *

><p><em>But getting <strong>THE<strong> dress was just one of many things on the to-do list. There was finding a place for the wedding reception that also had room for a banquet set-up and a dance floor..._

Isabella sat at the dining table, looking uncomfortable as Candace negotiated on her behalf over the phone with a full-time event planner.

"About 200 people, bub! Uh huh? No, that's too small! I need bigger. Bigger! **GET BIGGER!**"

* * *

><p><em>...plotting out the design of the wedding cake...<em>

Again, Isabella sat there at the counter as she watched Candace negotiate in person with the head chef at a local bakery, who was showing off a three-tier cake.

"Are you kidding me? That's it! I need bigger. Bigger! **GET BIGGER!**"

* * *

><p><em>...and, of course, booking the entertainment...<em>

Isabella was shaking her head while a very miffed Holly sat next to her, unhappy of the demands Candace was placing upon her.

"You're a multi-millionaire pop star, and you're telling me you're ONLY going to bring a miniature set, bring just two backup dancers, and sing **JUST** ten songs? Unacceptable! I need bigger. Bigger! **GET BIGGER!**"

Holly grumbled. "Now I know why I let my agent book all my gigs."

"You're still going to do it, right?" Isabella asked, sheepishly.

"Of course, girl! What could of friend would I be if I said no? Just one question..."

"What?"

"Why is she so obsessed on wanting everything to 'get bigger?'"

_At the time, I didn't have an answer for Holly..._

* * *

><p><em>...but I soon would...<em>

Isabella was meeting with Candace once more, but this time at the food court in the Googolplex Mall. And her wedding planner was not alone this time, as she had brought along her husband, Jeremy, and their daughter, Amanda.

"Only eight weeks to go, Isabella," Jeremy said with a smile. "Nervous for the big day yet?"

"Of course not-" Isabella replied, before adding, "yet."

"Good," Candace interjected, "because Jeremy and I have some news."

"Yes?"

Isabella watched as Jeremy scooted his chair over to Candace. He then wrapped his left arm behind her neck and then reached over his own stomach with his right hand and placed it on her stomach. Isabella immediately got the hint.

"No way! You're pregnant!"

Candace squealed. "Yes! **YES!** We've got another one in the oven!"

"And I'm sure he'll come out perfect, just like the first one."

The married couple turned towards Amanda, who reacted to the sudden display of attention by taking her kids' size cup of water and dumping it on her lap.

"I made an oopsie!" she shouted.

"Oh, Amanda!" exclaimed Candace. "I just washed that yesterday!"

Candace got up, picked up Amanda, and started walking for the women's restroom to dry her daughter off. Jeremy laughed as he saw his little girl dripping water on the floor.

"Well," Jeremy said, turning back to Isabella, "she's still perfect in my eyes, no matter what she does."

"Aww," cooed Isabella, "that's so sweet."

"Shoulda seen this coming, though. She keeps telling me she's 'about due' for Xavier. She's so confident it's going to be a boy, and she's only six weeks in. I amazed I'm still surprised at the things she tells me sometimes."

"Wow. Two kids already. Incredible."

Isabella was genuinely happy for Jeremy and Candace. Yet Jeremy could somehow tell that Isabella was hiding something.

"You okay? You... have something on your mind?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I... I've made such a hullabaloo about this wedding that I... I just realized that I've never really thought about the future. You know, what happens after?"

Jeremy leaned forward, motioning for Isabella to continue.

"In particular, having children. Do I want them? When do I want them? Can I afford to, between both of us having part-time jobs, him in graduate school and me considering it as well? Candace has essentially been planning out the rest of her life since she was 14! I... I never thought to imagine my life after my wedding!"

Jeremy attempted to keep Isabella calmed down.

"It's okay. Candace has always been a bit, and don't tell I said this, outside the box. Most women don't go into marriage knowing things like 'I'm gonna have two and only two children, and their names are going to be Xavier and Amanda.' So relax."

"I'd listen to the man. He knows what he's saying."

Isabella turned around and gasped in shock as a person she had not seen in a couple years had just reappeared out of thin air.

"It... it's **YOU**!"

**To be continued...**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So the news is out! I'm sure you all have many questions, like why are we suddenly ten years in the future, who is Isabella marrying, and who is the mysterious figure is at the end? You'll find out the answers... in 28 days.<p>

That's right! We've reached the midpoint of the season, and with that, this series is taking a brief recess. Don't worry, folks, the second half of the season starts March 26th, and that begins with the conclusion of this entry! So, take some time to speculate what adventures still await in this escapade and in the rest of the season, and I'll see you in four weeks!


	17. I'm Marrying

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, let's see... there was a cliffhanger about a month ago in the previous episode. Let's resolve that, shall we? And place your bets for whom you think the groom is!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Warning:** Some very borderline-PG material. Remember, all characters are considered legal in this episode, but basically, if you have to ask... you're probably too young to ask.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #111 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Sorry for cutting off that last entry early! I got called away by you-know-who! But never mind that! Back to where I was!_

"I'd listen to the man. He knows what he's saying."

21-year old Isabella had just expressed concerns of having not planned for life after the wedding with Jeremy. But a third party had cut into the conversation, and the voice was from someone that she had not seen in a couple years.

"It... it's **YOU!**"

He had lost some weight from the midsection down and he was wearing an army uniform, but there was no mistaking that the man standing before Isabella was Buford. She happily got out of her chair and gave him a big hug.

"Oh my gosh, Buford! The last time I saw you, you passed on college to enroll in the military!"

"Yep," he concurred, being stoic as ever. "Six months of basic training, got transferred to three different bases on the West Coast in under 18 months, then got sent off for a two-year tour overseas that included back-to-back tours of duty in That Hard-to-Pronounce Country Over Yonder."

"That's a really long name for a country."

"Don't get me started. You know how many words you have to say in their language to say 'Where's the bathroom?' No, seriously, do you know? I couldn't understand them, so I just went wherever I wanted!"

"Gross, and... no, just gross. Still, glad to see you haven't changed."

"About that. Can we talk?"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #111 [FSD210] - I'm Marrying... (03.26.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

Buford was now sitting down at the table with Isabella and Jeremy.

"So I hear you're gettin' hitched," Buford got right to the point. "I heard it on the Wild World Wide Web... and it still feels weird having to type four w's instead of three nowadays. So, who's the lucky sap you're making a man of?"

"Well," Isabella said, blushing, "it's..."

Buford cut her off, having figured it out already. "Ha! Shoulda known you two crazy kids were gonna hook up."

"You interested in coming?" Jeremy asked. "We need one more groomsman to round out the party."

"What a coincidence," Buford replied. "That's just what I was about to ask! I'll do it!"

"Great!"

"On one condition!"

Isabella rolled her eyes, as she had already guessed what it was. "Here it comes..."

"You know how each groomsman is supposed to escort a bridesmaid down the aisle, right? Well, I wanna escort Adyson! She's one, right?"

"Buford," Isabella said, bluntly, "given the rough past you two share, I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"But I've changed! I'm not the wild party animal with no respect for authority that wanted to get some action every weekend when I was back in high school! Life in the military has changed me! You'll see!"

"Even if I said yes, I doubt Adyson would approve. Besides, she's my Maid of Honor, and she walks with the Best Man."

Jeremy nodded. "We already decided that it's going to be..."

"Buford!"

The three spun around and saw Candace had returned, with her daughter Amanda in tow.

"When did **YOU** get back?"

"A few minutes ago. No time for details."

"If you think you're crashing this wedding..."

"He's not," Isabella interrupted. "We told Buford we were short one groomsman, and we offered the opening to him."

"No way!" Candace exclaimed, rejecting him. "As the wedding planner, I won't allow it!"

"And as the bride, a.k.a., the woman who's paying you a lot of money to make sure everything is perfect, I'm allowing it."

Jeremy smirked at his wife. "She's got a point."

Candace groaned. "Fine."

"**YES!**" Buford raised his hands in triumph, as Candace sat down and then placed Amanda on her lap.

"Now that that's settled..." Isabella began.

"Hold up!" cut in Candace once more. "I still have one more concern! I overheard the bit about you wanting to walk with Adyson, and given your past, I'm not comfortable with allowing that."

"Will you people let that go? That was back in high school! I'm a different guy now!"

Jeremy saw the genuine look of remorse on Buford's face. He slid his chair over to give him a pat on the back.

"I believe him, ladies. Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt."

"No offense, hubby," Candace responded, "but you don't know as much about what happened as either me or Isabella do."

"Didn't we learn to always forgive people for what they've done? I can tell that Buford has done some growing up these past few years. Why don't we let him have this? Huh?"

He pleaded to Candace and Isabella with his sad, sad eyes. Hoping to help his chances, Buford did the same. The women were still skeptical, but their eyes were making a strong case. Candace leaned over to whisper a comment to Isabella.

"I swear it should be illegal for guys to use the puppy dog pout."

Isabella chuckled lightly, then officially declared her surrender.

"Okay, Buford, you win. But just conditionally! I have to convince Adyson to agree to it AND you have to talk to the Best Man and have him agree to switching places as well. Okay?"

"Thanks, guys! I appreciate it!"

He wrapped his arms around Jeremy and gave him a big hug.

"I... I think I just heard a crack," Jeremy mumbled.

Buford then went over to Isabella and did the same.

"You're strong than I remember!" she squeaked.

Once he let go, Isabella started coughing as she tried to get some of the air that had been squeezed out back into her lungs. Meanwhile, Buford wanted to thank Candace too, but given that Amanda was on her lap and the small bulge protruding from her stomach, he thought better of it.

"Uh... I owe you?"

"Please don't."

Buford shrugged, then ran off. He raised his arms over his head once more and started yelling loudly, no matter who was around him.

"**I'M GONNA BE THE BEST MAN AT A WEDDING! CONDITIONALLY!**"

Isabella laughed as she shook her head.

"Wow, the things I do to please everyone."

* * *

><p><em>Despite my worries, preparations for the wedding were steady, and thanks to Candace, they remained on track. Everything was going great otherwise.<em>

_The last few weeks passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was the eve of my wedding. And most people know there's one last thing you have to have before you get hitched..._

At a four-star hotel in downtown Danville, Isabella walked into the suite where her bachelorette party was going to be held...

"I can't believe we're having the party in this suite!" Isabella exclaimed as she looked around the place upon entering.

"She's here!" Holly exclaimed, the first to see her. "Girl's last night as a free woman!"

Gretchen clapped cheerily as Katie got up from the couch she was sitting on to greet Isabella with a hug.

"Katie! You made it in time for the wedding after all!"

"I'm just happy to be here."

"Enough with the friendlies!" Holly shouted. "Where's this hot dancer, Adyson? As Maid of Honor and the person settin' this shindig up, that was your responsibility!"

"He'll be here," Adyson shouted from the kitchen, as she started mixing some drinks.

Ginger rose her hand, confused. Isabella acknowledged her.

"Yes, Ginger?"

"Uh, a dancer? At a bachelorette party?"

Gretchen gasped. "That's right! You didn't get to have one because your wedding was put together in a matter of days!"

"**WORST WEDDING EVER!**" Adyson yelled.

"I can't believe none of you told her what a bachelorette party was!" Isabella said in disdain.

She then sat down next to Ginger and began to explain it to her.

* * *

><p>30 seconds later, the door to the suit swung open, and an angry Ginger sprinted out, heading for the exit.<p>

"**THERE'S ONLY ONE WOMAN BALJEET GETS TO SEE THAT WAY, AND IT'S ME!**"

The women were stunned over Ginger's sudden departure.

"Shouldn't have told her what a **BACHELOR** party was, Chief," Gretchen told her.

"They're basically the same thing with only minor differences, how was I supposed to know she'd freak out like that?"

"Oh well..." Adyson said with a smile as she walked out of the kitchen. "I get her share!"

She had a tray of small glasses filled with 'adult' beverages on them. She put it down on the table, then took Ginger's share, downed it in one gulp, then took hers and sipped at it a little.

"**ADYSON!**" scolded Isabella. "You are my Maid of Honor and you are not gonna show up at the wedding tomorrow loopy!"

"Chill! I'm just having enough to get buzzed! And forget, at least for tonight, that I have to walk the aisle with you-know-who!"

"But you said you were okay with that!"

"I never said that! I agreed, but never stated such! Look, I'm doin' it 'cause it's your wedding, and you said it'll make you happy! It doesn't make me happy, but it's not 'bout me, it's 'bout you!"

She then finished the rest of her glass, to the astonishment of the others. And this was all before any of the other girls had even taken a sip from their respective glasses.

"At least tell us this guy **IS** showin' up!" exclaimed Holly.

"Stop worryin'! I told them to send the guy that was willing to have the most fun, and that money was no object!"

Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door. Katie got up to answer it.

"**WHAT?**"

Katie slowly backed into the room, grabbing everyone's attention upon doing so. She had a shocked look on her face, and the others soon would when they recognized the brown-haired guy that had come to dance for them.

"**DJANGO?**"

Django laughed nervously, as he appeared before them, in a chippendale outfit - plus shirt, for now.

"Um," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I'm a starving artist! I have to pay the bills somehow."

The girls froze, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, Katie took her glass and started chugging its contents down.

"She doesn't want to remember this night at all!" shouted Holly.

_Talk about awkward. We still paid him for the night and gave him a hefty tip. It was just minus... you know, a show that none of us would've been comfortable with._

_I'd feel sorry for him if not for..._

_Ahem, moving on!_

* * *

><p><em>After eight months of long, tenuous planning, the day I had been dreaming about since I was ten had finally arrived!<em>

_My wedding day._

Isabella was stunned as she looked at herself in the large mirror, wearing her pink wedding dress for the first time since she had purchased it. Around her, Adyson was working on her hair, Gretchen was spot-checking the dress to fix any last-second wrinkles or folds, and her mom was just watching them work with a smile on her face.

"Oh, Isa! Te ves muy hermosa!"

Isabella blushed. "Mom! You're embarrassing me!"

"As they say, anything embarrassing must also be true!"

"She's right, Chi- I mean, Isabella!" Gretchen added. "I've never seen a more beautiful bride than you!"

"Hopefully you-know-who thinks so, too," chuckled Adyson, before lightly elbowing Isabella in the side.

Gretchen and Adyson, both dressed in their strapless, slightly lighter pink-colored bridesmaid gowns, stepped away from Isabella to admire their handiwork. Adyson whistled.

"I think we're done," she said. "We make her any more glammed up and we'll look like we just walked in off the street!"

"Oh, stop!" Isabella giggled.

The two women waved goodbye as they exited the room to double-check their hair and make-up before the procession, leaving Isabella to spend her last few minutes as a single woman with her mom.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Isa?"

"Is... is it wrong to feel nervous? I mean, this is what I want, and even though I'm still entirely unsure what the future holds, I don't know if..."

Her mom smiled as she grabbed her daughter's hands and sandwiched them with her own.

"No. No, it's not. Did I ever tell you about how I nearly had to postpone my wedding day..."

"...because you refused to put on your wedding dress for three hours? Yes. Yes, you did. Every day since the engagement!"

"What I'm trying to say is just relax, Isa! The fact that you have butterflies is proof enough that you are marrying the right man."

"Thanks, mom!"

Isabella reached over and gave her mom a hug. The two then heard a knock at the door, followed by it opening and then Candace sticking her head in the room - which was actually her old bedroom.

"Show time, Isabella! **LET'S DO THIS!**"

* * *

><p>The Flynn-Fletcher backyard was set up for the wedding, and nearly every one of the 200 folding chairs had someone sitting in them. Everyone turned towards the house, as the procession was emerging from the sliding door that led into the kitchen.<p>

Music played as the groom stepped out first, walking down the aisle with both his father, Mr. Flynn-Fletcher, and Isabella's dad, Mr. Garcia-Shapiro. After a few moments, Candace standing at the door, whispered into her daughters ear to go, as Amanda was the flower girl. She nervously made her way down the aisle, stopping every few seconds to reach into her little basket and throw flower petals on the ground around her.

Suddenly, a little Indian boy with a small afro ran up behind her, holding a small box with the wedding rings... which he promptly dropped into Amanda's basket, to her surprise.

"Happy birthday!" he said after doing so.

The boy's parents, who were the first groomsman-bridesmaid pairing in line, reacted appropriately.

"I told you that that was the bad twin!" Ginger snapped at Baljeet.

"Well, I'm not the one who switched their names on their birth certificates!" Baljeet fired back.

Candace clapped her hands once, in front of their faces, to get their attention.

"Hey! One screw-up of a wedding per lifetime, and you two used that when you two got hitched! Now, move it or lose it!"

They both shut up and did as they were told, moving down the aisle fast. Baljeet picked up their son on the way and, as planned originally, dropped him off to sit with his twin brother, who was in the front row along with Mishti, who was to watch them for the duration of the ceremony. The rest of the groomsmen and bridesmaids made their way down the aisle without incident.

And then Buford and Adyson - the Best Man and Maid of Honor, respectively - stepped out of the house, hand in hand. There were a few surprised gasps and murmurs, but otherwise no one present seemed to have a problem with them paired together.

"Don't get any ideas," Adyson told Buford only loud enough for him to hear her, believing that he was eying her up.

"Ideas?" Buford shot back. "I went to the military instead of college! You think I have ideas? Puh-lease."

The two dropped their chat when they saw Candace staring at them, and they began making their way towards the altar. That only left...

"Please stand as we welcome," proclaimed Candace, "for the **LAST** time as a single woman, Miss Isabella Garcia-Shapiro!"

The crowd obliged as all eyes turned to Isabella as she emerged from the house. Flash bulbs from cameras began going off as pictures were being taken. After a few seconds, Isabella was joined on either side by her mother and her husband-to-be's mother, Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher, as was custom. Isabella could easily guess what the reactions of everyone present were despite the veil covering her face - and somewhat obscuring her vision - as she made her way down the aisle. Both mothers grabbed an arm each and guided her along.

Upon reaching the makeshift altar, both mothers let go and joined the other bridesmaids on one side, while the groomsmen stood on the other, and Isabella's husband-to-be stood before her, along with the rabbi who was conducting the ceremony under the chuppah, or wedding canopy.

As per tradition, before taking her place next to her husband, she circled him three times - each circuit represented one of the three virtues of marriage: righteousness, justice and loving kindness. Once that was done, she could finally take her place.

And finally lift the veil from her face to see the one she was to be wed to. But for some reason, Isabella's first unveiled gaze was not directly at her husband-to-be, but rather over to the groomsmen. Right next to Buford - or behind him, from her point of view - was the man who was originally supposed to be the Best Man, and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor when she saw who it was.

It was Phineas.

Her head then quickly turned to the man she was standing in front of her. The man she was about to marry. The man who was winking right at her.

Ferb.

"Honey, is everything alright?" he asked, calmly, seeing the look on her face.

"Wait... what?"

"I said, is everything alright?"

Thinking that Ferb was deaf, Isabella repeated herself, albeit much louder.

"**WAIT, WHAT?**"

* * *

><p>"<strong>I'M GETTING MARRIED TO FERB?<strong>"

Ten-year old Isabella had jumped out of her seat at the table and nearly reached over to strangle the person who had just told her that. And she might have well done so, if Gretchen, Adyson, Holly, and Ginger had not been there to grab her and hold her back.

"The crystal ball does not lie, child!" exclaimed the person on the other side of the table, who happened to be a fortune teller. "What was shown will transpire, if things continue the way they are."

Isabella's rage soothed as she soon she heard those last few words. She calmly sat down, and her friends released their grip on her.

"What do you mean, 'if things continue the way they are?'"

"Well, child, if you continue to live your life as you do now, then your future is with this... Ferb. But..."

"But?"

"The future is never completely set in stone until its arrival! Certain events could transpire that could change them before then."

"Like what?"

The fortune teller was taken aback. "What? You want me to actually **TELL** you? Where would be the fun in that? Surprises in life are best enjoyed when you don't see them coming."

Isabella frowned.

"We're going, girls."

Isabella got up from her seat and the others followed her out of the tent.

"Tell all your friends about Madame Mysterious!" the fortune teller lady exclaimed.

Once out of the tent, the girls emerged into the daylight and all of the noises of the annual End of Summer Labor Day Weekend Celebration Even Though Kids Went Back to School A Week Ago Carnival filled the air around them.

"I told you she was a crock!" exclaimed Holly. "So not worth five bucks!"

"I have to concur," agreed Gretchen.

"I dunno," Ginger said with a smile. "Any future that has me and Baljeet together, although not perfectly, seems right to me!"

"Seriously?" grumbled Adyson. "Any future in which Buford and I have history - **ANY** kind of history - would be my worst nightmare!"

The four girls then turned to Isabella, wondering what her final opinion on that matter was.

"That was fun!" she exclaimed happily, to their surprise.

"**WHAT?**" they shouted. "**FUN?**"

"Yep. But I think we should find Phineas and the others. Come on!"

With that, Isabella took off running.

"Well, if Chief's not worried about the future," stated Gretchen, "then we shouldn't be either!"

The others nodded.

"Wait up!" Adyson shouted after Isabella.

They all followed their fearless leader, off to enjoy the rest of carnival.

_So how many of you guessed that this was a tale of what could happen, not what already has? I have to admit, that fortune really had me worried. But then I remembered the reason I wanted to go see that teller in the first place! To have some fun! To answer a 'What if?' scenario. To see what one person thought my future could be._

_But of course I don't believe in everything she said. No one can dictate your future. They can influence it, but not decide it. The only person that can dictate my future is me. Ferb's nice and all, but I've known for years that my future is with Phineas._

_I'm not worried at all!_

_So, I guess the lesson learned here is to not believe what anyone says about your destiny, and that your destiny is what you make of it. Or, something like that._

_But, just to be safe... anyone know of a good day to get wed in ten years?_

_- Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader, Troop 46231_

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So, how many of you guessed the husband-to-be was Ferb? How many of you thought it odd that Isabella didn't come right out and say she was marrying Phineas? Well... hope you enjoyed the surprise!<p>

Again, like Katie's solo tale at the beginning of this season, this is an out-there type of story that you probably won't see again in this series. That is, of course, you guys want more of these 'What if?' tales...

If you hadn't guessed, the wedding skewed Jewish because, well, we don't know for sure what religion Ferb worships, but we do for Izzy...

Oh, and don't ask how Isabella knows what a bachelorette party is. She just... knows, okay?

And if you're not following me on Twitter and/or haven't been going to my website lately, I suggest you do. In the next six and 24 hours, respectively. Links on my profile page, k?

Anyway, Adyson's hoppy since her solo entry is up next week! Get it? Hoppy, because she's dressing up as... well, you'll see.


	18. Chasing Easter Wabbit

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, this week's episode stars my favorite Fireside Girl (sorry, Isabella!) and my favorite character on the show. Not the same person, by the way, which you'd know if you had read some of my other Phineas and Ferb stories.

Also, this is the series' first holiday special! Happy Easter, guys, unless you don't celebrate it (again, sorry Isabella!).

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>The front door opened wide to reveal Adyson standing there, in her casual clothes. Adyson waved hello to the person whose house they had gone to. Isabella, who then beckoned Adyson to step into the house. She complied.<p>

Once inside, Isabella put her hands on Adyson's shoulders, and smiled evilly. Adyson gulped in fear.

"Addy... I need you to do a favor for me."

**-**  
><strong>Entry #315 [FSD212] - Chasing Easter Wabbit (04.02.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Entry #315 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater_

_Your favorite fun gal pal Adyson's here, with another tale about me doing what Fireside Girls do best!_

_You know, best friends are supposed to help each other, right? Well, sometimes you're expected to do favors without asking for something in return. I don't have a problem with that._

_What I have a problem with is when 'doing a favor' turns out to be the worst mistake of your life._

The two girls had relocated to Isabella's bedroom. Adyson was sitting on the edge of Isabella's bed as Isabella had explained what she needed, while pacing back and forth in front of her.

"Let me make sure I got this," Adyson said aloud. "You volunteered to help out at an Easter Egg Hunt at a local orphanage, but now you have to back out because of a family emergency that's forcing you to hop on a plane to Mexico tonight and will keep you away the entire weekend?"

Isabella nodded.

"No prob! I'll do it!"

"You will? Oh, thanks! You're a true friend!"

Adyson smirked. "I know."

Isabella started walking over to her closet. She had gotten up on her tiptoes to pull a medium-sized rectangular box from the top shelf of her closet. She walked back over to Adyson, plopped it on her lap, then went back to get something else. Adyson flipped the top half off. Inside the box, folded up neatly, was a bunny costume.

_Ladies and gentlemen, my worst nightmare!_

"I'm not wearing it," Adyson firmly declared.

"You have to," Isabella said, as she returned with a wicker basket in hand. "The gig was to be the Easter Bunny. Since you agreed to do me a favor, the Easter Bunny is now you!"

Isabella sat down next to Adyson, and she wrapped an arm around Adyson's back to embrace her in a tight squeeze.

"You have to do it, Adyson! Not for you, not for me, but for the kids! They're expecting an Easter Bunny! And they're orphans! You don't want to see sad orphans, do you?"

Adyson sighed. "Fine. I'll do it!"

_I had a bad feeling about this. But the last thing I wanted to do was disappoint orphans! I'd never be able to live with myself! I wouldn't feel worthy of continuing to be a Fireside Girl if I didn't go there and brighten their Easter! There was no way out of it!_

_I must've just been feeling pessimistic. Surely all my worries were unfounded. Still..._

* * *

><p>Adyson had put on the full head-and-body costume to try it on. It fit well and it was pretty warm. A good thing since it was still early spring, and she would be spending most of the day outside.<p>

"I can do this! I can rock this! I can make this look good!"

_Sadly, a certain someone who-shall-not-be-named thought otherwise._

Isabella was laughing out loud as she saw Adyson in the bunny outfit, which came complete with a fake nose, fake whiskers, and a lifelike cottontail.

"I'm sorry," she said between chuckles, "but you look hysterical in that get-up!"

Adyson blushed red. Half in embarrassment, half in anger.

"Just... just give me my basket..."

Isabella instead pulled out a carrot and motioned for Adyson to take it.

"Not until you take a bite of this and say, 'Eh... what's up, Doc?'"

"**THAT'S NOT RIGHT AND YOU KNOW IT!**"

Adyson waited for Isabella to let it all out of her system before even saying another word. Plus, she wanted time to calm down and remind herself of why she was doing this.

"I'm really, really sorry, Adyson! That was very inappropriate of me to make fun of you. Okay?"

Adyson nodded. Isabella got up from the bed, went to her desktop computer, where a sticky note was attached at the top. She removed it, then walked back over to Adyson and handed it to her.

"This is the address. You have to be there at 9 am sharp. Not a second later!"

"9 am. Got it."

She started to head for the door, but Isabella could not resist one last request.

"Don't walk! Hop! You're a cute wittle wunny wabbit!"

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yep!"

_She is so lucky she has that family emergency, or I'd have to do something very unladyli-_

* * *

><p><em>-ke Easter! I like Easter. That's what I meant to say, yeah.<em>

_Anyway, the next day, I showed up at the orphanage. On time, just like Isabella told me to._

Adyson emerged from an empty bedroom at the orphanage, having used it to change into the bunny suit. She then met up with the woman in charge of the place, along with one of her part-time assistants, in the cafeteria. The assistant had Adyson's wicker basket, and it had been filled with Easter eggs.

"Thanks for filling in once again, Adyson," stated the woman with gratitude. "You don't know how much I - um, I mean, the kids - appreciate this!"

"Glad to be of service!"

Adyson was handed the basket. She scanned the contents and saw that she had a mix of actual eggs painted in Easter colors, egg-shaped chocolates, and plastic eggs which she assumed had sweet treats inside them.

"Good luck, dear! You'll need it!"

Suddenly, Adyson heard the sound of high-pitched screams nearby, and they were getting closer. She also heard what sounded like a herd of cattle stampeding inside the building.

The source of both? The kids of the orphanage, who rounded the corner and came into the view, were excited to see that the Easter Bunny had come to visit them. There were easily two dozen of them, and they all looked not only happy to see their guest, but very determined to get what they wanted.

Adyson had realized what she had just signed up for.

_See? Bad feeling! Never question a girl's instincts, especially when they're your own. Oh, and..._

"**AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Adyson bolted for the front door. The kids charged after her. They tried to cut her off, but she was just fast enough to escape their clutches. She swung the door open and ran out of the orphanage, still screaming in fear, with the basket full of eggs still in hand.

Minus the one that just rolled out and broke upon contact with the concrete sidewalk, that was.

"And here I always thought it would be my dream to be chased by adoring fans! Some dream! It's a nightmare!"

She heard the kids shouting at her and still chasing her, even out of the building. The orphanage owner stepped out and smiled as she saw Adyson lead the kids away.

"Best day off ever," she said with a smile.

Adyson ducked behind a large, blue mailbox so she could catch her breath. As she did, she pulled her collar out, reached in, and retrieved her cell phone from inside the costume. She would pat herself on the back later for actually bringing it with her and not leaving it in her clothes. After placing her basket on the ground next to her, she started texting the other Fireside Girls for help.

"Darn these large fingers and this small touchscreen keyboard!"

Despite her handicap, she managed to type up a coherent message and send it off. But she could not afford to sit there and wait, as two of the boys had appeared next to her.

"I found her!" one of them shouted out loud.

Adyson grabbed her basket and took off again, but not before each of the boys could pilfer their reward for locating her: an egg each.

* * *

><p>A couple blocks later, Adyson had opened up some distance between her and her closest pursuers, who were struggling to keep the Easter Bunny in view. But they were not giving up hope.<p>

"Man, they're persistent!"

Adyson felt herself getting winded again. She needed to find a place to rest, as well as hide. Suddenly, she saw a glimmer of hope across the street. It was Milly, and she was walking into Candy Crossing, Danville's old-timey seller of all things that could satisfy your sweet tooth.

"Milly! **MILLY!**"

Adyson looked both ways before crossing, then proceeded towards Candy Crossing. She went inside, immediately drawing Milly's attention as she stood by the loaded-with-goodies Easter baskets.

"**THE EASTER BUNNY! EEEEEEE!**"

Milly sprinted over and glomped Adyson.

"Milly! It's me!"

The curly-haired one loosened her grip, then squinted her eyes as she stared at Adyson's face. It took her a second, but...

"Adyson, it **IS** you! No way! Why didn't you tell me you're the Easter Bunny? Friends don't keep things like that a secret!"

"No time to explain! I'm in trouble! Can you help?"

"Can I? What are Fireside Girls for?"

Milly beckoned Adyson to follow her towards the back of the store. There was a man in a top hat sitting on a stool next to an open doorway which was curtained off. Seeing Milly heading his way, he pulled the curtains aside so they were out of the way.

"I'm a very frequent customer," explained Milly as the two walked up to and past the guard.

The curtain was closed behind them, and Adyson was astonished to walk into a narrow, but very well-lit hallway. Ahead of the girls was a giant vault door, as if they were in a high-end bank of some sort. Two uniformed guards appeared to block their path. Milly reached into her pocket and pulled out her gold membership card. Seeing it, they instantly let her pass.

They were not willing to give Adyson the same courtesy. That was, until Milly whipped out her cell phone and showed the guards that it was already set to dial someone named Mr. Willy - their boss. After a brief discussion, the guards stepped aside and let Adyson through. Adyson was shocked, to say the least, even as Milly smiled bubbly back at her.

The two walked into the vault, leaving the guards behind. Milly led them into a maze of candy safe deposit boxes, until they arrived at a small wooden table which, Adyson guessed, was near the center of the room.

"Um, Milly? This is nice and all, but how does this help me?"

Milly turned around to face her.

"Those are nice eggs you got there! You mind if I have one?"

"Well, they're not actually for you. They're for the kids..."

Milly leaned forward, licking her lips, as her eyes zoomed in on the eggs in Adyson's basket.

"Well, I'm a kid! Aren't I entitled to one? And I'm your friend! That makes me more entitled to one!"

"You don't understand. It doesn't work that way."

"No, Adyson! **YOU** don't understand! You're the Easter Bunny, you've got eggs, and I want them!"

Milly snatched one from the basket, a chocolate-shaped one, and she quickly took a bite of it. After savoring it for a few seconds, she hastily devoured the rest of the egg before Adyson's eyes. The brunette gulped and slowly began to back away.

"Milly? You **DO** know what happens when you eat too much sugar, right?"

Milly looked up at Adyson, her lips covered in chocolate.

"I have no idea what you're talking about! And... **I WANT MORE!**"

Milly dived at Adyson, trying to claim the rest of the eggs for herself. Adyson dodged her, then made a break for the vault door.

"**DON'T HOP AWAY FROM ME!**" yelled Milly.

"I'm not hopping!" Adyson shouted back, in a full sprint.

Adyson ran out of the vault, past the two uniformed guards, and back into the main part of the store. But upon getting there, she found a number of the orphans waiting for her.

"There she is!" a girl shouted, pointing at Adyson. "We want our Easter eggs!"

Adyson saw an emergency exit looming to her left, but a couple of kids were already moving to block. She needed to get them out of the way.

"You want eggs? **CATCH!**"

She plucked three plastic eggs at random from the basket and threw them up in the air and away from her. All the kids scrambled towards where they landed, as they rolled around on the floor, causing a small bit of chaos.

"Where'd all these brats come from?" one of the clerks behind the counter asked.

As the kids scrambled to claim one of the eggs and the shop's staff tried to get them under control before someone got hurt, Adyson headed for the emergency exit. The door alarm went off as she pushed it open, but that was the last thing on her mind as she emerged in a side alley.

"**HEY!**"

Adyson heard someone call out to her. She turned to the end of the alley and saw Holly waving at her.

"Someone called an S.O.S.?"

Adyson ran towards Holly, relieved.

_Finally! Someone I could trust!_

_No offense, Mil..._

Before she could reach Holly, though, Adyson's savior was overrun with another bunch of the tykes from the orphanage. Three of them surrounded Holly, who was not willing to hurt a little kid, even if they were trying to do her harm, while three others started heading down the alley towards Adyson.

"What you do to these kids?" Holly asked, in an accusatory tone.

"**NOTHING!**"

Adyson screamed again as she turned around and ran back the way she came. But as she reached the emergency exit, a small kid came out. He spread his little arms out wide, trying to block the passage. Adyson had no choice. She had to do something she would regret later.

"Kid! Your shoe's untied!"

The little boy blinked, then looked down at his shoes. In the process, he dropped his arms so he could reach down for his laces.

"Tied," he said, seeing his laces were still in place.

But by that point, Adyson was right alongside him, and she ran past him without incident.

"If I can just get out of the alley..."

Her wishes were granted, as she got back onto the street without incident. But she was not out of the woods yet, as a third group of kids were waiting for her at the front entrance of the shop. In desperation, she threw a couple more eggs at them, then ran the other way. Adyson could feel the suit get wet around her neck, as by this point she was sweating rather profusely. But she could not stop, because she heard the kids still chasing her.

"Four o'clock!"

Adyson glanced over her right shoulder and saw that Ginger was riding a bicycle. She was on the wrong side of the road, but that did not matter as she swerved in between two parked cars, jumped the curb, and pedaled up next to Adyson.

"**ARE YOU CRAZY?**" Adyson asked.

Ginger responded by hopping off the back of the bike, while it was still moving! Thankfully, she landed on her feet, or rather, her roller skates, which she also happened to have on.

"Go! **GO!**" Ginger shouted.

Adyson jumped onto the bike, and did so without falling over. It was not without a hitch, though, as she felt the fabric around her right foot get caught in the pedal. She continued to move along the sidewalk, all the while trying to free her foot. It finally budged, but not without leaving a remnant behind.

"Oh, no!"

Adyson was not happy to have torn a hole in her suit, but right now she needed to focus on getting away. At the next street corner, she got onto the street and pedaled her way into the flow of traffic, which thankfully was nonexistent at the moment.

"Whew!"

Adyson thought she was out of trouble. But then she noticed a strange, triangular shadow block the sunlight above her.

"What the..."

She looked up and behind her, and saw Milly swooping in on a hang glider.

"Gimme the eggs!" Milly screamed. "**GIMME!**"

"**NEVER!**" Adyson yelled back.

Milly was not gonna take 'No' for an answer, as she reached for the basket. She was not able to rip it from Adyson's grasp, but she did manage to grab three more eggs. That was one too many, though, as she fumbled them all, and they end up hitting the pavement below.

"Ugh! My eggs!"

Milly went in for a second attempt to snatch Adyson's basket. But with her eyes focused on her target, she did not see Katie climb into the bed of a parked pickup truck and leap from it. Katie crashed head-first into her best friend, sending them flying off-course and straight into a mattress, which had been conveniently dropped by a passing truck just seconds beforehand.

Adyson breathed a sigh of relief, both to see that Milly and Katie were unharmed and that Katie had pinned Milly to keep her from continuing the chase. She then pedaled away to safety.

* * *

><p>Adyson arrived back at the orphanage, with nary a kid in sight. She ditched the bike in a bush on the grounds. She took the last egg she had out of the basket and started walking back to the front door.<p>

"Forget this!" she exclaimed. "They can have this egg back!"

Suddenly, she tripped over her own two feet and fell onto the sidewalk. The egg went flying into the air, destined to break upon hitting the pavement.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Thankfully, or perhaps not, the egg actually landed in someone's hands. The hands of one Vanessa Doofenshmirtz, who happened to be passing by. She had been minding her own business; the volume of her headphones fairly high as she listened to music on her MP3 player. But she now had an egg in hand. A beautiful, colorfully decorated egg.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed as she took off her headphones. "An Easter egg! Been years since I've seen one of these!"

Adyson picked herself up the ground, and she now had some dirt on her. In addition to the sweat stains below her neck and the large hole in her right foot, which was now so big that the toes were gone, revealing the front of Adyson's shoe instead, the brunette Fireside Girl was looking pretty ragged. And still...

"Cool costume," Vanessa said, giving her a thumbs up.

"Um... thanks?"

Vanessa looked at the egg in her hand, then Adyson.

"I suppose this is yours?"

She leaned forward to give it back, when...

"**NOT SO FAST!**"

The two turned about to see Milly standing there, exhausted, frustrated, and desperate for Adyson's last Easter egg. Vanessa raised an eyebrow, uncomfortable with the situation.

"Uh, what's her deal?"

Adyson took a deep breath and explained everything that had happened. After she finished, Vanessa stood there dumbfounded. Not because she had not understood the situation, but because this all could have been resolved much sooner if Adyson had done one thing.

She placed the egg in Adyson's hands and gave her a command.

"Give her the egg."

Adyson blinked. "I'm sorry, **WHAT?**"

"Give her the egg! You're the Easter Bunny! Your job is to give Easter eggs to other kids!"

"But..."

"Why are you making such a big deal about this? Look..."

Vanessa pushed Adyson over to Milly. She then grabbed Adyson's hands and moved them over to Milly's. Milly firmed gripped the egg, and Adyson let go of it. Milly smiled as she calmed down, came to her senses, and she started rubbing the egg with the side of her face, lovingly.

"See? Was that so hard?"

Adyson was flabbergasted. "B-b-b-b-b-b-b-but..."

"Happy Easter, you two!" Vanessa said.

She put her headphones back into her ears and started walking off towards wherever she was going. Adyson saw that Milly was still cuddling her egg as if it were a baby, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wow! She was right! I don't know why I made such a big deal out of it!"

Milly then twisted the egg apart, seeing as it was a plastic one. She was hoping for candy corn, or jelly beans, or something else sweet. But all that was inside was...

"A mood ring? **A MOOD RING? I WANTED CANDY!**"

Milly was angry once more, and Adyson slowly started to back away.

"**GIMME ANOTHER EGG!**"

"I can't! That was the last one! Swearsies!"

"**LIAR!**"

Believing Adyson was hiding another egg on her, she leaped at her.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

* * *

><p>Two nights later, a hand was seen reaching up to ring the doorbell.<p>

_That was a day I'll never forget! Be wary the next time you do a favor for your friend. It could end up ruining your favorite holiday._

_For life._

The door opened, and Isabella gasped upon seeing the site before her. Adyson had a scowl on her face, and next to her, sitting on the ground, was Milly, biting into what was left of the bunny costume, shaking the remains as if it were a rag doll.

"Worst... Easter... **EVER!**"

Adyson then handed Isabella a slip of paper with the number 315 written on it, and then she stomped off for home. That left Isabella to figure out what to do with the now-ruined rental bunny suit, and Milly, and to read Adyson's blog entry to find out about the disaster she had missed out on.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Oh, don't be sad, Adyson! There's always Christmas to look forward to! And next Easter, some other sucker could dress up as the bunny!<p>

Looking ahead to next week, what would compel the Fireside Girls of Troop 46231 to go to war amongst themselves? A coveted officer position in the troop, that's what!


	19. The Un-Civil War

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Believe it or not, this is only the second episode this season in which all seven girls make an appearance! But that's not all... there's a lot of characters from the P&F universe in this one as well! So, sit back and see how many you recognize!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>Isabella and Melissa, who was once again spending the day with her mentor, began the short trek to Phineas and Ferb's house from Isabella's.<p>

"Isabella!"

"Yes, Melissa?"

"Last week, you told me about how you became troop leader by being the bestest of the best!"

Isabella coyly smiled. "Well, I do vaguely remember that."

"Are there other leadership positions in the Fireside Girls?"

"Why, yes! Yes, there is! Let's see..."

Isabella tried to think of one to tell Melissa about. An idea then popped into her head.

"Oh! I got it! There's this one very, very special position that we have in the Fireside Girls! It's special because of the way one gets the position. You don't earn it by being voted into the role, like other officers are."

"But I thought everything was always done demo-cray-tick-lee?"

"Democratically? Usually! But given as this is the second highest sought-after position in the troop, after mine, of course, the Fireside bylaws insisted on a different way to determine who gets this position. A way... that will live in infamy!"

Isabella said those last few words with a hint of doom and gloom in her voice. That confused Melissa, who did not quite get the yet.

"What's infamy mean?"

"Don't worry. It'll all make sense in a second..."

**-**  
><strong>Entry #058 [FSD211] - The Un-Civil War (04.09.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Entry #058 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_On a certain Saturday in July, of which can be hand-picked personally by each individual troop leader, all Fireside Girls who wish to win the position must camp out in their local park the night before. Or in a rec center, if they didn't have a park or if the weather wasn't cooperating..._

In this case, a green, triangle-shaped tent had been pitched on the grass somewhere in Danville Park. Suddenly, Gretchen emerged from the tent, dressed in a white T-shirt and powder blue shorts. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms wide, trying to wake herself up.

Gretchen was still stretching when she finally took note of the position of the sun. She reached back into her tent and pulled out a watch that listed the current time as 6:02:13. 6:02:14. 6:02:15.

"Yikes! It's begun!"

She dove back into the tent. A few seconds later, she came back out. In that short amount of time, she had changed into army fatigues and put eye black on her face. She also had pulled out a small wagon full of water balloons. She then lightly tapped the metal pole holding the tent up, and the tent began moving. It folded itself up many times over, all until it was all contained in an area of three-by-three inches. She pocketed the tent, then reached into the wagon to pull out a walkie talkie, which she promptly turned on.

"Sorry I'm late, girls!" she exclaimed as she pressed the talk button. "Everyone ready?"

* * *

><p><em>You see, Melissa, to earn this position, you've got to fight for it!<em>

In several different locations elsewhere throughout the park, the same situation had unfolded with many of the other Fireside Girls. Katie was in a gazebo. And in the spirit befitting of a blonde, she was dressed in Swedish folk clothing, complete with a flock vest and wooden clogs.

"Ya, I um ready!" she exclaimed. "Wait, do I have to do the Swedish accent? Is that even a Swedish accent?"

* * *

><p>Holly, who was located in the sandbox in the playground and was dressed like Cleopatra, answered her.<p>

"Nuh uh! I have to have my hair down, I'm dressed too skimpily for my age, and I have to wear this gold headdress on my head! I ain't doing no accent!"

* * *

><p>"I'd rather be barely dressed than fully dressed!" shouted Milly.<p>

Milly had poked her head out of the leaves of a tree. She then made her way out onto a branch to show that she was dressed as a koala bear.

"Why did I agree to this? I didn't know Australians were koalas! I'm burning up in this thing!"

* * *

><p>"Milly," Gretchen deadpanned, "there are so many things wrong with that statement, I... never mind. Ginger, check in please!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Is it okay that I came dressed in my Fireside Girl uniform?" she asked. "Because I don't know what people from Kamchatka wear!"<p>

Sure enough, Ginger was in her uniform. She also happened to be standing in the park fountain, and her shoes and socks were getting wet.

"Oh, and where in the park's Kamchatka supposed to be?"

* * *

><p>"I think we're all set!" Gretchen exclaimed, ignoring Ginger's query. "The moment I finish talking, the game begins! Radio silence from here on out, unless you want to meet an early demise! Gretchen, out!"<p>

With that, Gretchen removed her finger from the talk button, stashed her talkie in the wagon, and started pulling the balloon-filled transporter behind her, looking for her first target. Elsewhere, the others were assumed to be doing the same.

* * *

><p>"So they all have a giant water balloon fight? Cool!"<p>

"You'd think so, Melissa. You'd think so. But it's not a fight. It's a war! And sometimes... war isn't pretty."

Again, Isabella said those last few words with doom and gloom. And once more, Melissa was confused.

"Uh..."

"I'll just say that it's only fun and games until someone gets hurt."

"What? People get hurt?"

Isabella shrugged. "Not intentionally. It... happens."

* * *

><p>Gretchen spun around and addressed her hearty army.<p>

"Okay, soldiers! Are we ready to go to battle? Remember, you are fighting for our Queen!"

The other girls were doing the same, mounting their militias for war. At first, it was not clear who made up Gretchen's or Holly's armies. Milly, appropriately enough, had put together an army full of stuffed animals.

* * *

><p>Katie had done similarly, except instead of stuffed animals, her forces were made up of dolls. Barbie dolls, to be exact.<p>

"Okay, troops! I know you never thought you find yourselves out here, on the Swiss Alps, defending your homeland from invaders! I realize that your lives normally consist of giving massages, yodeling, calling cute boys, constructing quality furniture at reasonable prices, getting your nails did, and providing a place for all people to deposit their money, regardless of whether those gains were legal or ill-gotten! We represent the pride of Scandinavia! As much as it pains us to wear these wooden clogs, which provide absolutely no comfort to our aching feet, of which I fear may also be filled with splinters we'll all be complaining about to our husbands tonight, we will fight to defend all that we stand for! Ladies and... ladies? **ARE YOU WITH ME?**"

Katie received a quick answer, as she and her troops were quickly bombarded by a slew of water balloons launched by cannon. In seconds, they were all drenched. Seeing her army in ruins, with all their clothes soaking and their real-looking hair a mess, Katie fell on both knees and started wailing in sadness.

* * *

><p>Holly was leading her army through the tall grass that lied in the low-maintained section of the park, which was also filled with trash cans that were overflowing with waste and a set of restrooms in which the water had long been turned off due to contamination.<p>

"Ew!" somebody exclaimed from said bathroom. "Why didn't no one tell me about this 20 minutes ago?"

Ignoring that unfortunate soul, Holly was beginning to see an opening at the end of the grass that went over even her headdress. She held up one closed fist to motion for her army to stop. After hearing them do so, which she noted when she could no longer hear blades rustling behind her, she slowly stepped forward towards that opening.

And then...

"Hey!"

Ginger's voice started coming out of Holly's walkie talkie, which she had forgotten to turn off.

* * *

><p>Ginger had moved from being in the fountain to sitting atop an umbrella that was open and attached to a hot dog cart.<p>

"I don't know where this Kamchatka thing place is supposed to be. So I'm just going to say I'm there. Here. Whatever. So... can I leave?"

* * *

><p>"Ginger, the game started 15 minutes ago! That's it! You're next once I get done with the Eastern United States. Or the Western United States. Or the United Kingdom. Or... whatever territory Gretchen's using as her home base!"<p>

With that, Holly shut off her talkie. She then returned to the task at hand. She peeked out of the grass. There, sitting on a bench about 25 feet away with her back to her, was Gretchen.

"Gretchen said she was wearing fatigues, right? Oh, I've so got her!"

She ducked back in and turned around to talk to her second-in-command.

"Alright, commander! Target in sight! Give the command when ready."

Her second-in-command? Buford.

"Okay, slugs, peons, slaves, and other names Egyptian soldiers were given back in those days. Bum rush on three!"

The other kids who were in Holly's army, under Buford's command, presented their weapons: a full water balloon, in each hand. Buford then did a 180 and prepared to count down...

"**THREE! AAAAAAHHHHH!**"

Buford charged forward, out of the tall grass, armed with his own pair of balloons. The rest of the army shrugged their shoulders, then followed him out shortly thereafter. Buford got there first, hitting Gretchen in the back of the head with the first of his balloons. It knocked her down on to the bench. Buford came around, and through his other balloon right in her face.

"Ha! In your face! Literally!"

The rest of the army arrived and started pelting Gretchen endlessly, until they had exhausted their supply. Once they were done, Buford signaled back towards the grass that it was all clear, and Holly stepped out with a smile on her face.

"I knew the luck of Cleopatra would smile on me! That was easy!"

She then froze. Something did not feel right.

"Perhaps... too easy."

She ran over to check on Gretchen. She got over there, and to her surprise, sparks were shooting out of several places on Gretchen's body.

"A robot? If this Gretchen is a fake, then where's the real one?"

_Naturally, Gretchen used that opportunity to respond, with a tactical ambush._

Gretchen and her troops, of which were also all kids in the neighborhood, came out of their hiding places - from up in trees, from inside trash cans, from grass mats hiding their position on the ground, and everything in between. They started firing on Holly's forces, and a great number of them were taken out instantly.

"Buford!" Holly shouted at her commanding officer. "Do something!"

"I am!"

He then picked Holly off the ground, draped her over his shoulder, and started running away.

Holly's army, or what was left of it, retreated as well, with some holding the ground as long as possible to let the rest get to safety. As they fled, Holly began to recognize a few familiar faces among Gretchen's army.

"Wait... is that Phineas, Ferb, **AND** Irving? I am the great Cleopatra! How is **THAT** fair?"

Phineas and Ferb had whipped together some quick-launching artillery cannons in mere minutes, which had given Gretchen a clear advantage over the other girls and their forces.

"This is working better than expected, Ferb!" Phineas exclaimed as he glanced over at his brother. "We'll be done before lunch, and then we can figure out another thing to do today! Two things in one day. I can't remember the last time that's happened!"

Ferb smirked. He knew.

Meanwhile, Buford had carried Holly to a safe distance, at least for the moment, stopping in the sandbox that she had designated as Egypt. He put her down gently, to her relief. They were soon joined by what remained of their forces, about one-fifth their original number.

"Time to call in some secret reinforcements!" Holly declared.

"Secret reinforcements?" Buford looked upset. "What secret reinforcements? I didn't know about no stinkin' secret reinforcements!"

"Well, if I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret! Would it?"

Holly whistled, and her reinforcements began coming out. Three boys had buried themselves in the sand around their feet. A boy and a girl stood up inside the jungle gym, and they climbed out and then up to the top. Two more ran in from the south and they got onto the monkey bars and began hanging upside down from them. One more came out from behind the slide. Lastly, the cavalry came in, in the form of three kids riding on horses which they had procured somehow.

All of them were equipped with slingshots, not only for themselves, but also for Holly, Buford, and all of the other remaining soldiers. And they armed themselves just in time, too, as Gretchen and her army arrived on the scene and came to a stop.

"Oh my!" gasped Gretchen as she spotted Holly's reinforcements. "I wasn't expecting this! My calculations on the amount of time it would take to exterminate Holly's army have been thrown off! Our chances of victory may just have been dramatically decreased!"

Phineas rubbed the underside of his chin. "There's some way we can describe our current predicament in three easy words. But, for the life of me, I can't seem to remember what they were."

Irving did, though, and he did not hesitate to yell them out loud.

"**IT'S A TRAP!**"

For helping Phineas, Buford rewarded Irving by slingshotting a water balloon into his face. Everyone was in shock as Irving stood there for a second and then slowly fell backwards onto the ground.

"Ha! That'll teach him."

Suddenly, Irving's hands reached up to his own face. He then began squirming and crying out in anguish.

"Oh, I have fallen in the midst of battle! Oh, woe is me!"

Gretchen gasped. "Whoa! I have finished my reassessment of the situation! Based on all outstanding factors, I place the chances of my militia outlasting Holly's at 50-50."

"Couldn't ask for better odds!" Holly said with a smile. "You know, other than my side being favored. But, whatever. **ATTACK!**"

"You heard the girl in the belly shirt!" shouted Buford aloud to the army. "Take 'em out!"

Holly's reinforced army began firing. They started by aiming at a number of the cannon operators in Gretchen's forces. Their numbers dwindled quickly, and Gretchen and her team scrambled for cover.

"This is not good!" Gretchen said as she ducked behind a giant rock that Phineas and Ferb were also using for cover. "This is not good at all!"

"You mean our chances of being victorious are dwindling at an exponential rate?"

"Precisely! Unless we find some sort of equalizer..."

"Or a miracle. One of those would be nice."

"I hate to disagree with you, Phineas, but the chances of a miracle occurring within the next five seconds are one in 3,748,210."

Without warning, Gretchen got her 'one.' A bright flash of light appeared, blinding both sides and forcing the firing to cease. After a few seconds, the light dimmed down and everyone could see again. Soldiers on both sides had balloons ready to throw or launch - in several cases, with their targets just mere feet in front of them. But they were unable to move for a short time after they could see once more because Adyson was standing in between the two sides.

And she was dressed like a princess, ball gown, crown, and all.

* * *

><p>"Adyson was a princess? Was she there to call an end to the battle?"<p>

"No. She got her days mixed up and thought it was Pretty Princess Dress-Up Day."

* * *

><p>"Guys?" Ginger said over her walkie talkie as she stood at one of the park exits. "How do I get from Kamchatka to Alaska? You all said you cross over by going through the park exit, but that doesn't make sense..."<p>

She then heard Adyson yell a response, nearly making her deaf in the process.

"**THIS GOWN WAS A RENTAL!**"

Ginger turned her talkie off, then rubbed her aching earlobes.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, a wet Adyson was seen storming off in the distance, while the battle between Gretchen's and Holly's forces resumed. Quickly, casualties became an issue, as fighters on both sides took more and more chances, exposing themselves to counter fire.<p>

Phineas and Ferb had found time to separate from Gretchen and were trying to get around the other side of the playground so that Holly's army would be under attack on both sides. That seemed like a sound plan with Holly and her team distracted, but...

**SPLAT!**

Phineas stopped when he felt something hit him in the shirt. He looked down and saw that he had been taken out.

"Well, ain't that a kick in the pants."

Phineas dropped to the ground. Ferb blinked his eyes as he saw the person who had taken out his stepbrother draw closer to him.

"I suppose declaring my full and utter surrender out of the question?"

The answer was yes, as said person threw her balloon at Ferb, taking him out as well. She then turned her attention on a new target...

"Keep going, my subjects!" Holly bellowed to her army. "Our superior firepower is starting to win the day!"

A balloon then whizzed by Holly's hair, just missing her by inches.

"We're under attack from the rear!" Buford shouted, before adding an immature snicker. "Heh... rear."

Holly glanced right and gasped when she saw Phineas and Ferb both lying on the ground and their assassin heading her way. And despite the determined look on her face, she looked dang cute as a koala.

"**MILLY!** Where did she come from?"

"There's no way she could have found us this quickly!" Buford said in shock.

"**BUFORD!**" screamed Holly.

"What now, Queenie?"

Milly had procured one of the slingshots Holly's team was using, and had used it to fling a balloon over Buford's head and into Holly's face, who at that moment had decided to not do the smart thing and dodge the shot. After getting hit, Holly put her hands on her hips and glared at Buford.

"Looks like my job's done," he said, before walking away.

Since Holly had been hit, by rule, her troops had been forced to surrender. If only they had gotten a few more seconds. Gretchen had no one left on her side of the field. She was all alone. Milly smiled as she headed for the rock Holly's team had been firing on. Behind it, Gretchen gently squeezed her very last water balloon as she waited for the right opportunity to strike.

"One chance," Gretchen told herself. "One chance to take her out."

She heard Milly's footsteps get closer. And closer. And closer. Gretchen began getting more nervous, so she grabbed her last piece of ammunition with her other hand. And she started squeezing harder, and harder, and harder...

**POP!**

"I've got you, Gretch-... en?"

Milly got on the other side of the rock and saw that Gretchen's shirt was wet. Apparently, she had squeezed her balloon so hard that it had popped in her hands.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Milly was standing atop that giant rock, and a group of tired, defeated girls looked up at her, as they lamented their failures.<p>

"That's right, mates! I, Milly, have triumphed! Katie, Ginger, Holly, and Gretchen! I have beaten you all, so I am the winner!"

The trio of girls below her looked at each other. Something about her statement was off. And, suddenly, Milly had realized it as well.

"Wait a sec! Where's Ginger?"

**SPLASH!**

A water balloon hit Milly in the side of the head. She turned to her left and, sure enough, there was Ginger!

"You were saying, Milly?"

Milly sat down on top of the rock and snapped her fingers in disgust.

"So close."

* * *

><p>Isabella and Melissa had made it to the Flynn-Fletcher backyard just as Isabella had finished her story.<p>

"Wow, Isabella! Incredible!"

"Yep! Nobody saw Ginger coming."

"So, what did she win? What position of leadership did Ginger earn? You never said what it was."

"Oh, that?"

* * *

><p>Less than a week later, at the clubhouse, the girls were watching a film on a projector screen. Well, just Isabella and Ginger, as all the other girls had fallen asleep. Ginger was grinning from ear to ear, while Isabella was resting her chin on her hand, as she was bored.<p>

_Ginger became the Viewings Officer. She gets to decide what movie we'd get to watch after every meeting. For the next year! And, for some reason, she's really into importing Asian cinema._

"How do you even understand what they're saying?" Isabella asked, half-heartedly.

"Duh!" answered Ginger. "That's what subtitles are for!"

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So, in a nutshell, this is the second time I went with 'adapting a board game for a Phineas &amp; Ferb story' idea, and if you hadn't guessed, the girls were playing a life-size version of "Risk," with some practical modifications.<p>

From all the girls this week to just Isabella next week! See you then!


	20. Passion Parkway

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

I do believe this is the first Fireside Girls' adventure in which only one girl appears! So, take the stage Isabella for your solo entry this season! That's right, this, not the two-parter from earlier, is Isabella's tale. I'll admit, though, this has a similar theme of sorts...

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #206 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Submitted for your approval, a tale about a girl. A cute, precocious, absolutely splendiferous preteen girl._

Isabella was standing in the Flynn-Fletcher backyard, with a heavenly smile on her face.

_She is at the age where she starts pining for the love of the opposing gender. A boy._

A few feet away, Baljeet's jaw was hanging down in shock. His face remained that way even as he reached into his pocket to give a ten dollar bill to Buford, who was pleased about the monetary reward.

_A boy with a wild imagination. One with the smarts to straddle the line between science and superstition, before mixing them together as if they were hot chocolate and marshmallows._

Phineas walked out of the house with a small square metal box in hand. He stopped upon seeing Isabella, and smirked.

"Well, well, look at what we have here!"

_There's no twilight here, just sunshine and other-worldly pairings._

Ferb blinked his eyes, doing nothing else but standing there, while Isabella had her right arm linked with his left. Isabella sighed as she turned Ferb towards her.

"Oh, Ferb! I... I love you!"

Again, Ferb blinked, unsure of how to respond. Or, rather, he was following his tendency to not react to pretty much anything.

_Don't adjust your monitor, for you have just gotten on the on-ramp... for the Passion Parkway!_

**-**  
><strong>Entry #206 [FSD213] - Passion Parkway (04.16.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

Yesterday...

"I can't wait to see what Phineas is up to today!"

It was a chilly Saturday morning in February, but even as bundled up as she was in winter clothing, Isabella felt all warm and fuzzy inside as she made her way up the Flynn-Fletcher driveway.

_Being a Fireside Girl, I almost never had nothing to do! And whenever I was doing something, you can bet that nine times out of ten, it was helping out Phineas and Ferb, doing whatever they'd do. Especially Phineas..._

_...but what if it was... especially Ferb?_

Isabella walked into the backyard and saw the boys, as well as a small squirrel, which was running away from them.

"This is perfect!" Phineas exclaimed.

Isabella had no idea what he was talking about, but she intended to insert herself into the conversation without any problems. Noting her arrival as both brothers turned to face her, Isabella smiled as she first set her eyes upon the smaller of the two. Isabella stopped, then opened her mouth to greet him, and Phineas appeared to open his in return to do the same.

But then, without warning, Isabella turned her head towards Ferb.

"Hi, Ferb! Whatcha doin'?"

Ferb, unsure of how to answer - and probably not expecting to answer, either - just stood there silently and blinked his eyes. In response, Isabella sighed dreamily.

"Sounds amazing! Can I help?"

"Well, you kinda are..." Phineas cut in. "You see..."

But it only took two words for Isabella's mind to block Phineas' voice for her mind. All she wanted to hear was the endearing silence that Ferb was providing her. And it was making her giddy inside.

_I don't know what it was about Ferb, but suddenly, I felt that it was him, not Phineas, that I couldn't bear to be without for the rest of my life._

_I don't know what it was about him that was winning me over. His unwavering expression, his need to be the hands-on guy, his British... Britishness._

_Or maybe it was that he was so suave for his age that he could pick any girl in the world to be his lover, whenever he wanted! It was at that moment that I decided..._

_I wanna be the girl!_

"Um, Isabella?"

Isabella snapped back to reality. She was sitting underneath the large oak tree in the yard, with her arms around a giant boulder. She saw that it was Phineas who had woken her up. She also saw Ferb hunkering down behind his brother, trying to hide for some reason.

"Aw," cooed Isabella, "he's so shy."

"Your mom called about five minutes ago," Phineas told Isabella. "She wants you home for dinner."

"Dinner?"

Isabella looked up in the sky. The sun had set and it was already dark enough for the house's outdoor lights to be turned on.

"I guess it's dinner time. See you tomorrow, guys!"

She waved goodbye as she headed back for the driveway. But she did not leave without offering up a wink and a blown air-kiss. Both Phineas and Ferb were visibly stunned by her openly romantic overtures.

"Wow," uttered Phineas.

He said more, but Isabella was out of earshot to hear it. Coincidentally, at that moment, she stopped on the driveway. Feelings of joy and love and had been replaced by ones of confusion and dismay.

"Wha? What happened today? Did I... do what I think I just did?"

_I had to go ask Phineas what was up. Surely he'd know why I had a hankering for Ferb and not... well, you know..._

She spun around and started heading back to the backyard, when...

"**ISA!**"

She stopped upon hearing her mom calling for her from their front door. Isabella could not disobey her. It was against her nature. But her mind was still muddled about what had happened today.

Unable to come up with an answer, her mind made one up for her.

"I must not be getting enough sleep. Probably just a delusion."

Isabella spun around again, this time in the direction of her house, and took off.

_A delusion? Or the hidden truth? And since when did I blow air-kisses? All of those questions will be answered..._

* * *

><p><em>...right now!<em>

It was the following morning, and Isabella was up bright and early, as usual. But instead of going straight across the street, she instead was in the kitchen, making cupcakes.

Wearing a frilly apron over her dress, Isabella squealed upon hearing the built-in timer on the stove go off. She dropped the magazine she was reading - it was the most recent issue of Star Style - and ran to get the cupcakes out of the oven. Of course, not without putting on oven mitts first.

"Ahhh..." she said as she opened the oven door and got a whiff of her finished baked goods. "Fireside Girls' cupcakes are nice, but they don't say 'I love you' quite like homemade ones do."

_[*record scratch*_

_I'm not saying that you shouldn't buy Fireside Girls cupcakes. Not all of us have time to bake their own from scratch. That being said, do you still need a present for your sweetheart for the big day? Get him or her Fireside Girl Cupcakes! Special seasonal discounts, plus an additional ten percent discount if you mention my name, Isabella, at the time of purchase! So, get in touch with your local Fireside Girl and order Fireside Girl Cupcakes! Sweets for your sweetie!_

_Offer valid only in the Tri-State Area. While supplies last. Big day delivery guaranteed only in downtown and suburban Danville between the hours of 6-8:30 am and 4-7 pm. We reserve the right to leave orders at the door if no one is present to receive them and are not responsible if some poor, desperate schmuck snatches them, leaving you in the doghouse with your significant other. Please do not ask for us to deliver cupcakes during the day, because it is a school day, and it will not look good on our permanent records to skip out on our education. Besides, most of us have a spelling test that day. I'm still struggling to spell curmudgeon from memory. Oh, wait, I just did! Yes!_

_What? This **IS** a Fireside Girls associated blog, after all!]_

Isabella carefully lifted the tray of six cupcakes out and placed it down on the counter. She quickly examined them and noticed that one of them, the one that had been in the back right corner, was a little bit bigger than the rest.

"Hmm. I guess I should've checked to make sure all of the yeast measurements were the same. Oh well."

She shrugged it off, then went to work topping the cupcakes with vanilla frosting, making sure to put a little less on the largest one to offset her mistake, and sprinkles. She then pulled out a spare log-shaped case, the ones she normally used for Fireside Girl deliveries, and managed to squeeze four cupcakes into it, leaving two at home.

"Heading out, Mom!" Isabella shouted.

Isabella walked to the coat closet to put on her winter jacket. As she did, her mother called out from upstairs.

"Don't be out too long, Isa! You still have homework!"

"'Kay, Mom!"

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Isabella made her way across the street, with her log-shaped case of cupcakes in her hands.<p>

"Just remember," she told herself aloud, "the biggest cupcake goes to Phineas. Not Ferb."

She then stopped where she was on the driveway.

"Why am I even thinking about giving it to Ferb? Sure, he and Phineas are brothers and it's common to think of them together, in the same breath. But I want to make sure that Phineas gets the biggest one, even if it was an accident that it turned out bigger than the others. And why I am asking myself this aloud, where others can hear me? They might think I'm crazy! Or... something."

Isabella started taking deep breaths; each exhale plainly visible before her eyes because of how cold the air was around her. After five or six of them, her mind had become calm and focused.

"Okay, self! Let's do this!"

She walked into the backyard. Her eyes instantly set their sights on Phineas, followed by Buford and Baljeet. Isabella paused once more.

_At that moment, I was wondering, 'why did Buford and Baljeet have to be here today?' And then I thought, 'since when did them being there matter to me? All that matters is that Phineas was there.'_

She started moving again, not stopping until she was right next to Phineas. Then, as was routine...

"Hey, Phineas! Whatcha doin'?"

Phineas happily gave a response. "Trying to help Buford and Baljeet settle a bet."

The other two boys explained their situation, starting with Buford.

"I bet Baljeet tomorrow's lunch money that Phineas couldn't stick his tongue out and touch his nose."

"And I say he cannot!"

Before the argument could get any heated, Phineas resolved their bet, as promised. He stuck his tongue out and touched his nose. With his gloved finger.

"**HA!**" snickered Buford. "You owe me two bucks!"

"**WHAT?**" Baljeet screeched. "I thought you were supposed to touch your nose **WITH** your tongue."

"Nope," replied Phineas.

"Nada," added Isabella.

"That's disgusting, man," grumbled Buford, "even for me."

Baljeet sighed, then started pulling quarters out of his coat pocket. But before he could produce the right amount, Buford smacked the change out of Baljeet's hand and onto the cold ground.

"What do you think I am, a mint? Paper bills only!"

As Baljeet went for his other pocket to pull out dollar bills, Isabella turned to face Phineas.

"That's nice and all, but usually when I ask 'Whatcha doin?,' I usually mean what are you up to, Phineas. And occasionally Ferb. You know, out of brotherly courtesy, not because I like, like him or anything."

"Uh," Phineas scratched the side of his triangle-shaped head, confused, "okay? Anyway, Ferb's running a little late. He slept in this morning. Not like him at all. I'd better go check on him. Hard to seize the day when it's already half over, you know?"

With that, Phineas headed inside the house. Meanwhile, now that the transaction between Buford and Baljeet had been completed, they noticed for the first time Isabella's log-shaped cupcake case.

"Ooh! Isabella's got cupcakes!" Buford exclaimed.

Isabella opened up the case without thinking twice about it. Buford quickly reached in and grabbed one of the cupcakes at random.

"So," Baljeet said in his best sweet-talker voice, as he slid over next to Isabella, "the big day is coming up, and you come offering the sweets! Perhaps that means..."

"Not interested," deadpanned Isabella, cutting him off.

Baljeet's shoulders drooped as he trotted back over to Buford, then reached into his coat pocket to hand his frenemy another two bucks.

"Told you she'd say no," he said as he stuck out his hand to accept the money.

Isabella was about to roll her eyes, wondering why Baljeet would bet that she would say yes to his proposal for a date, when she heard the sliding door move again. Ferb was coming out of the house, but Phineas was not with him. Not that it mattered, for as soon as Isabella laid eyes on the green-haired brother, she swooned. She was head-over-heels in love with Ferb. Just like yesterday.

"It wasn't a dream," she said with adoration. "It was real!"

Ferb approached the group, and Isabella quickly jumped into action. She used a hip bump to both knock Buford aside and launch the cupcake he was holding into the air. She stood there casually and waited for the treat to land back in her gloved hand, right-side up and in the same shape it had come out of the oven. Isabella then skipped over and got to Ferb before he could get to them.

"Hey, Ferb!"

Ferb raised his left arm up and waved hello.

"I made this cupcake just for you-ou-ou!"

"What was that?" Buford asked as he got back up from the cold grass.

Baljeet shushed him, then pointed to what was going on between Ferb and Isabella.

"I accidentally, kinda made this one a little bigger than the others..."

She showed off the other three cupcakes in the case.

"...you can't really tell, but this one here has less frosting than the others to compensate. But..."

She picked up one of the other cupcakes and transferred some of the frosting onto the lone one she was planning to give Ferb, so it would now actually look like the biggest of the bunch.

"I want you to have this, Ferb. Think of it as a token of my affection, uh, I mean, appreciation, for you."

Ferb let Isabella put the cupcake in his hand, while Buford and Baljeet watched from afar.

"Man, he's good," commented Buford.

"So good," added Baljeet, "he is astronomical! I do not know what he even did, but Isabella is all smitten with him! And considering the hold Phineas has, or had, on her, that is saying a lot."

"He had a hold on her? That sneaky little..."

Baljeet glared at him.

"What? I can't pretend to care about mushy stuff for once?"

Isabella giggled, then playfully pressed her left index finger into the front of Ferb's nose.

"I guess there are a few things I'd want to do to completely show my change of affection, but how do I express them all in about a minute?"

Ferb pulled out a small boombox, one that had a cassette tape in the deck. With the door open, one could see that it was labeled 'Love Händel: Things to Do.'

"I always knew you were the brains of the duo," cooed Isabella.

Ferb closed the door and the tape automatically began playing the song on it.

_[Sung to a tune similar to Devo's "Whip It"]_  
><em>Oh, the things you want him to do for you<br>Will help her see lovin' your brother was-was wrong  
>There are tangles in her heart he needs to undo<br>Her problems and his actions, here in song!_

A few feet away, Baljeet's jaw was hanging down in shock. His face remained that way even as he reached into his pocket to give a ten dollar bill to Buford, having won yet another bet, this one made off-screen.

_You're a robot? He'll turn you on!_  
><em>You got grass? He'll mow your lawn!<em>  
><em>You like cars? Check out his ride!<em>  
><em>Need help eating? Just open wide!<em>  
><em>You got holes? He'll fill them, maybe?<em>  
><em>Left heartbroken? He'll call you baby!<em>  
><em>You're a domino? He'll knock you down!<em>  
><em>Wanna get married? Well, here's your gown!<em>

_Oh, the things you want him to do for you I hope one is not wearing this cake-shaped hat!_  
><em>If you believe he is the one, it must be true Watch all your friends tell you, you two are all that!<em>

_Are you cold? Link your arms!_  
><em>You milk cows? You own some farms!<em>  
><em>Does he love you? Uh, we guess.<em>  
><em>Is this song over? Oh, yes!<em>

Phineas had just come back outside, and he had a small square metal box in hand. He smirked upon seeing Isabella's right arm intertwined with Ferb's left arm.

"Well, well, look at what we have here!"

Isabella sighed as she turned her new crush to face her.

"Oh, Ferb! I... I love you!"

Ferb just stood there, unsure of how to respond. Then, without warning, he started flailing his free arm up and down, in a panic. Phineas laughed.

"Okay, okay, I think that's enough fun for **MORE** than one day."

Phineas raised the box, which was actually a remote control, and aimed it at the backside of Ferb's shirt collar. Ferb stopped fidgeting and started counting down...

"Three, two, one..."

A second later, Isabella stopped moving. Not because she had been frozen in place - whether by the weather or by some other means - but because she had finally come to her senses. And that she had been trying to get with the wrong brother.

"Ferb!"

Isabella pulled away, blushing in embarrassment.

"Please tell me I didn't do something completely out of character!"

"Not at all," Phineas told her, before adding, hesitantly, "at least, I don't think so."

Phineas walked over to Ferb and pulled a small circular device from underneath his collar.

"Funny that this didn't disappear like all the rest. Never had one stick around overnight. I guess that's why I forgot about it."

"Phineas, could you please tell me what's going on?"

"Well, you see... **BUFORD!**"

Isabella turned around and saw that Buford was right behind her, and that he was hiding a giant mallet behind his back. And doing a poor job of it, since she could see part of it sticking out even behind his massive girth.

"She is not a cartoon!" Baljeet scolded him.

Buford grumbled. "I'm never gonna get to use this thing."

"As I was saying," spoke up Phineas once more, getting Isabella to turn around, "in the spirit of you-know-what day coming up, we tried to see if we could make a little doodad then, upon wearing it, makes the user 30 percent more attractive. I guess it worked **TOO** well. Guess that's another one for the 'throw away' pile."

"So you mean... all that... wasn't me?"

Isabella felt a mix of emotions. She was unhappy, yet she was also relieved.

"'Fraid not. Unless, deep inside, it's what you want."

Ferb then added. "Just like the mind, the heart is a fickle beast. You may feel one way, but your heart may feel the opposite."

"Yeah," Isabella laughed nervously. "That. Heh heh... yeah, I don't think so. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Isabella ran out of the backyard. Once out on the driveway, she peeked over her shoulder to see if she was being followed. Seeing that she was not, she stopped.

"Wow. That was weird. Still..."

She pulled out a magazine clipping from her pocket. It was a relationship compatibility test. Taking out a pencil, she filled it out right there and then. After finishing it and doing some self-scoring...

"And on scale of one to ten, with ten being completely compatible, Phineas and I are a..."

...she frowned.

"Meh. Those things are totally unreliable anyway."

She headed back home, tossing the clipping in the Flynn-Fletcher's outdoor trash can.

_Even preteens find it hard to understand that at their tender young age that just because you've already found someone you want to spend the rest of your life is doesn't mean fate closes other options to you. You could be calling someone else 'the one' several years, months, hours, or gee, even seconds later and you would not think twice about it. Love is a fickle mistress, and even someone like me will never know if I'll end up with the right one when it's all said and done._

A quick peek in the open can reveals that Isabella had scored a three.

_But that's the price you pay when you spend your life traversing the Passion Parkway._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So a Twilight Zone parody, the first song written for the series proper (the first, <strong>FIRST<strong> one was in "I'm Your Next Class President!"), and Ferbella! Sounds like a recipe for hilarity. Of course, you guys are the ultimate judge of that.

On that note, I'm officially announcing "Fireside Diaries" has been renewed for a third season! No premiere date yet, but I'm already hard at work planning. Like at the end of Season 1, if you have any good ideas for possible episodes, let me know ASAP! Didn't get any suggestions then, but maybe this time will be different.

Next week, Gretchen & Adyson join Isabella in another series-first: the first entry written and narrated by **THREE** of the girls, at once!


	21. Tales of Misguided Desire

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, those of you who follow me on Twitter and/or check my website regularly, you'd probably read this when it debuted last month on the latter. If not, one, shame on you, and two, this is new to you! This is also another first... the series' first entry written by three girls at once!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #274 - Co-written by Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson<em>

_(Isabella) **OMG**, readers! Do we have a story to tell you today!_

_(Adyson) Is it the same one that I'm thinking of telling? Like, there's this cute boy you just met that you're totally, totally, like, totally into?_

_(I) You know it, girlfriend!_

_(Gretchen) You two aren't the only ones._

_(A) No way! You too?_

_(I) What are the, like, odds, and junk?_

_(G) 3,279,805 to 1._

_(A) That's totally insane, totally!_

_(I) **OMG!** I say we share stories! The world has to know of how drool-worthy these guys are._

_(G) Because that's what we do! Run a gossip blog!_

_(A) That's what our fans like about us, right? Gossip, gossip, gossip! Totally!_

_(I) Then let's do what us girls do best! Talk about our men!_

_(G/A) Yeah!_

**-**  
><strong>Entry #274 [FSD208] - Tales of Misguided Desire (03.27.1204.23.12)**  
><strong>-<strong>

A few weeks ago, at a ski resort located 50 miles north of Danville...

_(A) I totally met my dreamboat on the slopes. I wasn't even looking for cute boys. I just happened to totally be on vacation with my folks..._

Adyson hopped off of the ski lift, and she was poised and ready to go. She was wearing a thick orange flannel jacket, a pair of blue jeans, a red bonnet with a cottontail-like ball at the top, a pair of gloves with bunnies on them, and a pair of goggles, which were resting just above her eyes. She also had a small snowboard in hand.

_(A) I was ready to totally hit the slopes for the first time. And I couldn't be prouder of myself!_

"Time to be the first Fireside Girl to make it down Mole Hill Trail on a snowboard in one piece without having taken a single lesson," Adyson proclaimed. "Because I'm totally that good!"

With that, Adyson leaned forward and began her descent down the hill. She carved through the powder as if she had been snowboarding since she was a toddler, easily navigating around trees, dodging slower boarders on the trail, and even pulling off a few simple tricks and grabs off of some early minor drops.

"**YAHOO!**" she screamed upon clearing a ramp and landing safely. "This is so easy!"

She glanced further down the mountain, as the drops began to get steeper. Ahead of her, she spotted a guy, maybe a year or two older than she was, showing off. He had turned around so that he was facing away from an upcoming ramp.

Adyson gasped. "Is he crazy?"

The young boarder reached the ramp, still facing the wrong way, and went flying off of the end. He started spinning and twirling in tandem, seemingly in control, before disappearing over the ridge and out of Adyson's sight. Sensing the guy might have bitten off more than he could chew, Adyson leaned forward, aiming to hit the ramp. She did so successfully, although upon coming off the edge, the realization hit her that this was a bigger drop than she expected.

"Oh, no! Oh, no no no no no **NO**! **AAAHHHHH!**"

Adyson closed her eyes and hoped for the best. The next thing she knew, she felt her board hit the ground flat. But that was quickly followed by her butt, back, and head, as she had been leaning back the whole time. She slid down the mountain, screaming in anguish.

_(A) I was already fearing the worst. A hospital trip was totally in my future. But then..._

She felt a gloved hand grab her and start to pull her upwards. She stopped feeling her back brush against the hard ground, and a few seconds later, she felt the terrain level out beneath her feet. She then began to slow down, with the help of her unknown savior. Once they were stopped, Adyson fell back once more. But this time, it was into the arms of the aforementioned hero, at which point she finally opened her eyes in relief, in order to see who had just saved her life.

It was the boy that she had seen go over the end just seconds ahead of her.

"Wha? You're okay?"

The boy laughed. "Why wouldn't I be? You, on the other hand... I don't think making the Mole Hill your first try was a good idea."

Adyson attempted to pull herself up to her feet, to prove that she was tougher than she looked. But her back refused to cooperate.

"Unh," she said, wincing.

The boy smiled as he helped Adyson off to the side of the trail, and then propped her up against a tree, into a sitting position. He then retrieved her snowboard before turning his attention back to her.

He sat down on the snow next to her and started running his hand up and down Adyson's back. She was not comfortable with it at first, but soon enough, she did not care, as she could feel him dull the pain in her back away. A smile formed on her face.

"Amazing! I... I feel so much better already." Adyson turned to face her savior for the first time. "I guess I should totally thank you. Uh..."

The boy lifted his goggles off his face and up onto his blonde locks, giving Adyson a chance to stare into his baby blue eyes before he finally told her his name.

"Taylor."

"I'm Adyson. Pleased to meet you, and again, thanks for totally saving me!"

Taylor removed his hand from Adyson's back, and once he did, she once more tried to get to her feet. She reached behind her, grabbed the tree trunk with her hands, and hoisted herself up. He chuckled.

"My, cute, tough, and quick on the uptake! We haven't even started, and I'm learning more about you than you are about me!"

Adyson sandwiched Taylor's right hand in between her two own hands. She looked up at him and said, "Well, we'd better get movin'! I totally can't wait to get to know you. That is, **IF** you can keep up!"

She made a bolt for the nearest lift station, giggling gleefully as she ran with her snowboard. Taylor followed quickly afterward.

* * *

><p><em>[(A) I had an incredible time with Taylor! He helped smooth out some of my rough edges; I totally played with his hair. He taught me how to show off; I showed him up when I beat him in a race. He bought me some hot chocolate, I totally gave him my phone number. Sigh...<em>

_(I) You gave him your phone number? Your **ACTUAL** number? For really real?_

_(A) For really, really real! He's totally perfect._

_(G) Taylor can't be perfect! Because my Larry is the absolute scientific definition of the word!_

_(A) What does Larry have that Taylor totally doesn't have?_

_(G) You'll see. Let me take you back in time, exactly 504 hours ago!]_

* * *

><p>Three weeks ago, inside the Googolplex Mall...<p>

_(G) I was engaged in my twice-a-week stroll through Scope, Danville's resident emporium of all kinds of scopes..._

A poster taped to one of the store's display windows read 'We sell anything that ends in -scope. Except a horoscope. We show you the stars, not what they mean!'

_(G) I was over by the microscopes, which are located between the periscopes and the riflescopes and before you get to the cinemascopes - whenever they're in stock, that is. You know how it is with half-century old technology. But as I was saying..._

One of the microscopes suddenly caught Gretchen's attention. She picked it up off of the shelf, holding it by the base, and she began to examine it with here eyes.

"No way! A backlight, lens-in-lens-**IN**-lens technology, and has a 2000x zoom? I had hypothesized that such a device could not be mass-produced and sold to the average person at a reasonable price for at least for another decade! Wow..."

"Silly girl..."

Gretchen looked up and then turned to her left. The voice had come from a brown-haired boy, who actually was a few inches shorter than she was. He was wearing blue-rimmed glasses and had freckles on both sides of his face.

"Do you not know that the 'in' thing among scientific prodigies is to make big things smaller? Make small things big is **SO** two milliseconds ago."

The boy calmly took the microscope from Gretchen's hands, placed it back on the shelf, and then he grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the telescopes.

"The average biped cares not of what things on Earth are made of," he explained, "but, instead, of what things elsewhere in the universe are made of! They want to know how black holes form, how shooting stars can keep their shape even though they race at several times the speed of light, and if other planets are habitable."

"Really? Why, tell me more, oh great one!"

"The name I was given upon birth was Larry," he told her. "But you may call me your Master!"

Gretchen nodded. "Yes, Master!"

"Very well. Shall we discuss more over the consumption of edibles, followed by a trip to my laboratory, where we may gaze upon the constellations in the night sky?"

Gretchen smiled. "Sounds peachy!"

Larry grabbed Gretchen by the hand once more, and this time he pulled her towards the store's exit.

* * *

><p><em>(G) I never realized until that day that my place was under Larry's thumb. Listening to his theories about the future of the study of astronomy and agreeing with them without question, helping him keep his laboratory neat and polished, tending to his every need, and gazing at the stars while enjoying some cheesecake baked by his Mom... that's as close to perfection as it gets, girls!<em>

_(A) Sure. Nothing feels like love like totally giving up your free will and train of thought._

_(G) But **YOUR** boy only has **YOUR** number. Mine has already brought me to his living quarters! So there!_

_(I) Girls, girls! I'm sure both Taylor and Larry have their pluses, but, like, neither of them hold a candle to my bundle of comfort and joy!_

_(A) Bundle of comfort and joy? I totally have to hear this one!_

_(G) Yes. If just for proof that he really is a better example of perfection._

_(I) Oh, trust me. He is. Though, to be fair, I didn't think that at first..._

* * *

><p>Last week, on the sidewalk on Maple Drive, in suburban Danville...<p>

"Bye, girls!" Isabella shouted, waving goodbye to Gretchen and Adyson as they stood in front of her house.

_(I) It all began last week, soon after you two headed home from the bus stop._

Isabella glanced across the street at Phineas and Ferb, who were walking on the grass leading up to their front door. They headed inside, but not before Phineas turned around to say one last thing.

"Talk to you later, Isabella!"

Isabella sighed, waving to Phineas before he closed the door.

_(I) As per usual, I couldn't help but stare at Phineas' door after he had left, stuck for several minutes imagining our surefire future together._

"Oh, Phineas..."

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through rather quickly, and Isabella instinctively reached up with one hand to keep her hair down while she reached down with the other to keep her skirt from being blown up. But after a few seconds, she realized that the wind actually had a source... a boy riding right past her on his bicycle.

But it was not just any boy. This boy had his black locks combed back, a pair of designer sunglasses covering his eyes, and a shiny leather jacket on. He squeezed the brakes on the handlebars and came to a stop. He glanced back at Isabella, and saw that she was staring at him. He reached up and lifted his sunglasses up just enough so that she could see his eyes...

And then he winked at her.

Isabella's jaw dropped faster than a mouse at an all-you-can-eat cheese buffet.

"Meap," she uttered.

The boy smiled, lowered his shades, and then pedaled away.

"Who... is that cool, mysterious stranger?"

* * *

><p>The next day...<p>

_(I) I've known for years that my heart would always belong to that redhead, but for some reason, like, this guy, whom I had never before seen, was making my heart flutter in ways Phineas never did._

_Surely, it was a mistake. Right?_

Isabella walked out of the convenience store, holding a small bag of ice. She was heading back to her mom, who at that moment was refueling her car. But she stopped upon seeing a group of four boys sitting on the curb. And she recognized one of them instantly.

"It's him!"

She turned her head towards him, just in time to see him turning his head her direction. Isabella nervously gulped.

"What do I do?" she asked herself.

The boy, in the same get-up he had on yesterday, again lifted his sunglasses and gave Isabella a playful wink. Isabella giggled flirtatiously before she even knew she was doing it. She then watched as the boy then walked away, and the others that were with him followed suit.

"Meap... times two!"

Suddenly, feeling herself beginning to doubt whether she was crushing on the right boy, Isabella slapped herself across the face. That snapped her out of it.

"Whew! For a minute there, I was worried."

She then held up her bag of ice, which had, at least to her, inexplicably turned into a bag of water.

"Could it? Nah. Couldn't be!"

She went back inside to buy a new bag of ice.

* * *

><p>The next next day...<p>

_(I) I... I really couldn't be falling for someone **OTHER** than Phineas, could I? Yeah, right! Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on me! Fool me thrice..._

Isabella was in Phineas' backyard, helping him finish off his latest creation.

"All done!" exclaimed Phineas, as he tossed the hammer he had in hand aside.

"So, you gonna tell me what it is?"

"Sure! I call it the 'Reverse Groundhog's Day Machine!' You see, toots, with the press of a button, you can reset the day back to 6 a.m. You know, if you royally screwed up your day and wanna take it back."

"But why 'Reverse' Groundhog's Day?"

"Because it doesn't work on Groundhog's Day, stupid! It would be silly if it did!"

"Oh, Phineas!" Isabella cooed. "You always know the right things to say!"

"Yeah, whatev."

Suddenly, the two of them heard a bike horn. They turned to the opening in Phineas' backyard fence, and Isabella saw 'him' once more. He repeated the same act he had done each of the past two days. But this time, that was not all he was going to do.

"Beautiful girl, you don't have to take that from him!"

Isabella first gasped, then sighed in adoration.

"How dare you talk to my girl like that?" shouted Phineas.

"Any guy who treats their girl like that doesn't deserve her!"

Isabella frowned, then turned to glare angrily at Phineas as she got to her feet.

"He's right! I don't have to sit here and take this!"

"What?"

"Phineas! I can't believe I'm saying this, but... **GET LOST, LOSER!**"

She stomped over to Phineas' machine and promptly gave it a swift kick. It fell apart instantly. She smirked with satisfaction as she made her way over to her savior, the boy on the bike, and squeezed in behind him on the end of his seat.

"Oh, mysterious yet drool-worthy stranger! Like, what's your name, so I know whom to thank when I tell all about your exploits on my troop's blog?"

The boy grinned as he answered her question.

"I am... The Chaz!"

"The Chaz?"

"**THE... CHAZ!**"

"Cool!"

The Chaz started pedaling. He first headed for the remains of Phineas' machine and circled it once, running over some of the smaller parts in the process, before making his way out of the yard. Isabella was smitten as she wrapped her arms around The Chaz's stomach and rested her chin on his left shoulder.

_(I) And just like that, I dumped Phineas for The Chaz. And I couldn't have been any happier to._

* * *

><p><em>(A) You were totally right, Isabella! He sounds totally like a bundle of comfort and joy!<em>

_(I) I know, right?_

_(G) Girls, we have to wrap this up! Triple date to get ready for, remember?_

_(I) Oh, yeah. Signing off for now, followers! We got some hotties to shower with kisses!_

* * *

><p>That night, inside Better Panda Restaurant...<p>

Gretchen held the entrance door open, allowing Isabella and Adyson to enter before her. They were greeted by a waiter, but before he could ask them what they wanted, each of the girls pulled out a photo. Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson were holding pictures of The Chaz, Larry, and Taylor, respectively, and were immediately pointed in the direction of the booth in which the boys were seated.

The boys in question were having a spirited conversation, but they all stopped upon seeing their new girlfriends approach them.

"Looks like our babes are here!" exclaimed Taylor.

"See their eyes?" pointed out Larry. "They're **SO** into us!"

The Chaz smiled cheesily as he lifted his sunglasses and winked at Isabella. "You know, you don't have to eye us to know we're the catch of the day! Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

"Yes, sweetheart," replied Isabella. "I'd love for you to call me that... if there was anything between us!"

"Whatcha talkin' 'bout, babe?"

Isabella put her hands on her hips. "Oh, no you didn't just do a 'Whatcha talkin' 'bout' bit!"

"We know you guys hacked into my computer and uploaded an entry onto our website!" accused Gretchen. "We know it was you boy scouts because your digital fingerprints were all over it!"

Larry laughed. "You have no proof!"

"Does 199-70-1-42 ring a bell?"

"That's my IP address! How did you..."

"I'm pretty sure there's no Super Hacker Badge in the Riverside Rats," Isabella stated aloud, "so I'm sure what you did is wrong!"

Taylor slid out of the booth and went over to Adyson. He pulled out the slip of paper with her number that she had given him and showed it to her.

"It was all a joke. You gave me your digits! Surely that means something."

"One, not my number, it's for the post office. Two, you were the one who ran into me on the slopes, not the other way around! And three, I do not say the word 'totally' a million times a day! **WHAT KIND OF BRAINLESS SLUG DO YOU THINK I AM?**"

Taylor attempted to come up with a sly reply. "Um, a totally cute one?"

"How cute I am doesn't change the fact that you are all chronic liars!"

"I'll say," Isabella piped in, as she confronted The Chaz. "Never, ever, spread mistruths about my- I mean, our, Phineas! Besides, I seem to remember a certain Chaz was the one who kicked Phineas' machine and not me."

"It's not Chaz, it's **THE** Chaz! And I did it. So?"

He then saw a flash of a camera, and noticed that Isabella had just snapped a photo of him.

"Did you get that?" Isabella asked, glancing over at Gretchen.

"This'll be great for the retraction!" she replied, adding a thumbs up as extra confirmation.

"I don't even know why you boys went through all this trouble," Adyson thought aloud. "If you guys were mature, you would've just asked us out!"

The three boys looked at each other oddly. They then got into a huddle to discuss something amongst themselves. Finally, they turned to face the girls again.

"So," they asked in unison, "would you girls like to go out?"

The girls did not need to dignify that with a response. The frowns on their faces said it all.

"C'mon, girls," Isabella said, motioning them to head for the exit. "We're done here."

The trio started walking, but Isabella's progress was halted when she heard The Chaz dive from out of the booth and grabbing her by the ankle as he hit the ground.

"Wait!"

Isabella turned around, annoyed. "What?"

"You... you're not gonna tell our Scout Leader, right? We could get kicked out of the troop!"

Isabella began to think about it. But before she knew it, Larry and Taylor had come over and they were begging for forgiveness.

"Okay!"

The boys gasped in surprise. "Really?"

"Yep! On one condition."

"Anything!" The Chaz exclaimed.

"Good to hear."

* * *

><p>The next day, Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson were at the lodge, adding something to the end of the entry.<p>

_(I) We apologize to all our of our readers who initially read this entry. As you can see, the addendum we have made shows that we were not responsible for its content._

_(G) We have decided to keep it up, though, just to teach our so-called 'admirers' a lesson._

_(A) To never mess with the Fireside Girls!_

_(I) Naturally. As for us not telling their Scout Leader what they've done, let's just say they're in our debt. And only we know when it's due._

_(G/A) Heh heh heh!_

With that, Isabella moved the mouse to the 'Save Changes' button and clicked on it.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Hope you enjoyed this cautionary tale of how <strong>NOT<strong> to get a girl to be into you! The Fireside Girls are strong, independent young women!

I'd also like to give a special shout-out to my Twitter pals, who answered the call back in December when I asked for suggestions for names for "three boys who hit on Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson." Got two responses, and they each contributed a name. So thanks to BlackCatula and Spongey444 for helping out!

Next week, the Fireside Girls try to help a special guest complete a community service requirement. Or try to, before... well...


	22. Candace the Volunteer

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So here's a somewhat normal episode. Normal as in there's nothing outside-of-the-realm-of-the-show crazy in this one (I see you two Phinbella fans in the back with the pitchforks, put 'em away!). But not normal as in... we've got a special guest writing this entry!

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>Candace looked down as she sat on the concrete step in front of the door of her house.<p>

"Oh, what am I going to do?" she asked herself aloud, in a whiny tone.

She raised her head up and saw Isabella coming out of her house and heading for the sidewalk.

"**THAT'S IT!**"

She jumped up excitedly and ran over, stopping Isabella and grabbing a hold of her arms. Tightly.

"Hi, Candace! Whatcha' doin... to me? Seriously, could you loosen up a bit?"

"Isabella!" screamed Candace. "I forgot that everyone has to do X hours of community service before they can graduate, and I haven't done any! Can you help me, please please please please **PLEASE?**"

"Then you've got good timing! The Fireside Girls are in the midst of our 'The Huge Help' initiative! You can tag along with some of us, and you can take care of that community service requirement in no time!"

"Great!"

"On two conditions. One, you write a guest entry for our blog, and two, you... stop... squeezing..."

Candace realized that she was gripping Isabella's arms so tightly that they were beginning to become colorless. She quickly let go, allowing Isabella to drop to the grass.

"We'll get started," she said from down there, "just as soon as I get some feeling back in my arms."

**-**  
><strong>Entry #395 [FSD214] - Candace the Volunteer (04.30.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Entry #395 - Guest-written by Candace '50 Patches in One Day' Flynn, the Greatest Fireflame Girl of All-Time!_

_(**Editor's Note**: This entry is being uploaded unedited because... well, you'll see. And Candace wouldn't **LET** me edit it...)_

_What up, peeps? This is your girl Candace, checkin' in for the D-to-the-A-to-the-N-to-the-I don't know what I'm typing this._

_Anyway... darn the school system guy who thought that you couldn't graduate from high school unless you did community service. Who does he think he is? Us teenagers have better things to do with our summer! Like go to the beach, hang out with friends, spend extra time hanging out with Jeremy - call me, baby - and bust my brothers. Who has time to service the community? Not this teenager!_

_And yet, Mom tells me 'it builds character.'_

_Whatever._

_While I petition the school board to get this community service thingy abolished, I might as well do some anyway. I could nag them until my graduation day to change it, but who knows. It might be fun. As Dad tells me._

_It wasn't._

* * *

><p>An hour later, Candace and Isabella arrived at Danville Elementary. A half dozen other kids were there, standing near a wall on the front face of the school. Some were just beginning to open up paint cans, while two others were sticking painters' tape onto the wall, in a predetermined pattern.<p>

"We're painting a mural."

"A mural?"

Isabella pointed to another kid, a girl, who held up a sketch of the mural they were planning to paint.

"A mural."

The girl handed the piece of paper to Candace, who made an observation about it aloud.

"Is this an orange-furred rat with a yellow clown nose who happens to be holding a tazer in one paw and is wearing a boxing glove on the other?"

"And now you know why, in my failed class presidential campaign, one of my promises was to change our school mascot to Mickey Mouse."

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later...<p>

Everyone was quietly painting away in their designated spot on the wall, hoping that by working simultaneously, they could get the mural done faster. The outline was already done, and they were already starting to paint in some of the details.

Candace, though, believed they were not going fast enough.

"This is taking too long!" she growled. "Can't we speed this up?"

Candace had noticed when she arrived that someone had brought a two-handed paint sprayer that was the size of a leaf blower. And it irked her that they were not using it. She planned to rectify that.

"Um, Candace?" Isabella questioned the redhead's actions when she saw what she was going to do. "We're only using that for touch-ups at the end."

Candace ignored her as she picked it up and started looking for the on switch.

"Besides," Isabella added, "you really shouldn't use that if you don't know what you're..."

Candace left hand found the trigger, and she pulled it. Yellow paint came flying out, and it hit not only Isabella, but part of the in-progress mural behind her. Candace quickly let go, and the flow of paint stopped.

"...doing."

Isabella frowned.

* * *

><p>"Can you believe it, Mom?"<p>

Candace was sitting in the passenger seat of her mom's car, being driven away from Danville Elementary.

"She told me to get lost! Her, of all people! I swear, she's just jealous of my mad speed-painting skills!"

_(**Ed. Note**: For the record, all I did was give her a list of projects some of the other girls were doing, where her unique talents could be put to better use! I wasn't mean about it, honest!)_

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher said in response. "Would she have given you that list if she did? She wants you to succeed, honey!"

Candace looked at the piece of paper in her hand.

"I suppose."

"That's the spirit! Now, where to?"

Candace glanced down at the list and saw the first location on it was the Danville Food Bank.

* * *

><p>Holly was gathering non-perishable food items off of the shelves at the food bank, arranging them carefully into cardboard boxes for distribution to the poor later that day. Suddenly, she came across an open box of crackers with the Giant Floating Baby Head on it that had been left on the floor, with crumbs all around. She continued over to the next aisle over and was shocked, then annoyed when she saw Candace sitting on the floor, having made a mini-sandwich from crackers, pre-sliced canned meat, and jarred guacamole, the latter of which was smeared all over her lips.<p>

"What? I missed lunch!"

* * *

><p>Milly and Katie were waving goodbye to a couple with a newly-born child as they pulled away in their car from the loadingunloading zone at the hospital. They grabbed the wheelchair they had pushed the mother out on, and started heading in just in time to see Candace emerging, pushing out an elderly man on a wheelchair. Candace stopped at the curb, waiting for the man's son to pick him up. She pulled out her cell phone from her apron and saw that she had a text message from Jeremy waiting for her.

She turned around to check it in privacy, accidentally bumping the chair with her butt, at which point it rolled onto the driveway pavement. It took her a few seconds to realize what had happened, and that she had forgotten to put on the wheel brakes. She screamed, then ran after the runaway chair.

Seconds later, a crash could be heard. Milly and Katie, who had stopped a few feet short of the sliding doors while heading back in, seemed stunned as one of Candace's wheelchair's big wheels rolled up to the pair, then stopped and fell to the ground, at their feet.

* * *

><p>Candace peeked into the open barn. She saw a cow eating some hay. She finally spotted whom she was looking for Ginger, and freaked out when she came out from behind the cow, wearing gloves and holding a bucket. Candace took a few steps back, slowly, before turning tail and running, not wanting to do whatever Ginger was doing.<p>

Ginger, confused, shrugged her shoulders, then sat down on a stool next to the cow, placed the bucket on the ground underneath it, and finally, grabbing the udders to begin milking it.

* * *

><p>A week after Candace had initially asked Isabella for help, the two girls were meeting at the front door of the former's house.<p>

"Sorry, Candace," Isabella apologized, "but you've tried everything on our lists. There's no other service jobs we can offer."

"Pfft. You're a lot of help!"

Candace closed the door in Isabella's face, then stomped back to the living room.

"Some help the Flickeryfire Girls were! NOW how am I supposed to complete my community service requirement?"

She trudged over to the couch to sit down, when she noticed that someone had left part of the newspaper there. And it was open to the classifieds. Not really expecting to find anything, she picked it up and started to scan the ads as she sat down.

A few seconds later, she lowered the paper back down. She had a grin of delight on her face.

_If you could see my face, you'd know that I had found my answer!_

* * *

><p>The following Saturday, at Carbon-Boron Park...<p>

"I told you that you should've taken my offer to volunteer at the ballpark first."

"I guess I should listen to you more often, Stacy!"

Candace and Stacy were under the stands at the local minor league ballpark. They were happy to be there... that is, until they met the seven-foot tall giant that was in charge of all of the volunteer staff there.

"You girls are 30 minutes late! That's strike one for both of ya!"

"Sorry, Mr. Banister," Stacy quickly apologized, "but I had to pick up my friend Candace here. It's her first day, and she accidentally overslept..."

"Stacy!" Candace snapped, in a 'why are you telling him that' tone.

"You know da rules. Three strikes and you're out! Got it?"

Candace scratched her head, confused. "Is that a baseball thing, 'cause I really don't follow..."

He led them over to the 'bank,' which was responsible for doling out change at the beginning of the day and collecting all of the sales money from concessions workers and volunteers at the end. The guy there handed each of the girls $100 in fives.

"Wait, isn't this a volunteer gig?" asked Candace.

Stacy whispered to her. "We're hawking, remember? That's change money."

Their boss then took them to the storage closet the next door over. There, they each received a light brown apron with two pockets in the front to hold their money. He then pointed to the back, where there were stacks and stacks of programs to be handed out.

"You're starting with programs, five a pop, until the game starts. Each plastic-wrapped stack has 15. If you run out, you come back here, but I don't give you another one without getting the sales money. Got it?"

Candace nodded, seemingly understanding.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Candace and Stacy, each carrying one stack, found a place to hawk near one of the entrance gates. Two other volunteers were already there, but both of those girls were down to their last program and were about to run off to get more. Stacy quickly squatted down on the ground, in the midst of the approaching group of fans, ripped off the plastic, then went to work. She took a program in each hand and held it up, while the rest remained stacked at her feet.<p>

"Programs!" she shouted. "Programs, five bucks! You won't know a Larkin from a Ruth without a program!"

Candace watched as Stacy immediately got a taker. The guy handed her a $10 bill and she gave him a program and his change in return.

"That's it? That's easy!"

Candace did exactly what her friend did. Sort of.

"Programs! Get your programs! Five big ones! You can't tell that Orton from a Newton without it!"

Stacy giggled upon hearing Candace. For once, her friend was the one that sounded clueless.

_I hear you laughing! Knowing the names of the players on the local minor league team **IS NOT IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION!**_

Candace saw someone with a $5 bill out heading her way, and she thought she was gonna have her first sale. But the guy walked right past her. It turned out he had it out in preparation for buying something other than a program.

But that did not deter Candace, who chased after him.

"Hey, you! Guy! Wanna buy a program? They're five bucks!"

He waved his hand at her and kept walking. But...

"Hey, don't ignore me!"

She kept chasing him.

"This is real quality stuff you're missing out on!"

She flipped the book she had open in hand and randomly read a stat line aloud.

"What about this Livingston fella? He's got an era of 6.44! Good, right?"

He started walking faster. Candace decided to stop her pursuit.

"C'mon, you're my first sale! I'll give it to you for free, I won't tell!"

She reared her arm back and threw it the book towards the back of the guy's head. But it never got there, as someone stepped in the way of it, and it hit him, back cover first, in the side of the face.

That someone... was Candace's boss. And he was livid.

"Hee hee hee hee," she laughed nervously. "Um, how much of that did you hear? Sir?"

* * *

><p>"The game doesn't start for another 10 minutes and I'm already on strike two!" groaned Candace.<p>

Candace had been given something new to hawk. Water bottles. And she was carrying them in a tray. A tray of two dozen bottles. And the weight of it was already a bother to her, as she could feel the straps holding up the tray that went around the back of her neck dig into her skin.

In addition, she was now out in the hot midday sun, climbing up and down the stairs of the park in-between the rows of seats.

"And who can do this all day, in the midst of summer? This is crazy!"

Candace then suddenly got a form of relief, when she felt someone put a baseball cap on her hand. That someone was...

"**MOM!**"

"Hi, Candace!"

Her mom had come to see how her first day was going. As well as to see the game... although that was more likely the reason why Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella were with her.

"I never knew you were into baseball!" exclaimed Phineas.

"I'm not," Candace replied, in a deadpanning tone.

"Glad to see you found a new volunteer gig," Isabella told her.

Candace's mom slid a small tube of sunscreen into Candace's open apron pocket.

"Stay safe! C'mon, kids!"

The quartet left to find their seats. Candace took her mother's advice to heart, readjusting the cap on her head and making a mental note to put some sunscreen on her face. And then, it hit her...

"Wait a minute... why are the boys here? There can only be one... but I can't! I don't know how many other volunteer gigs are left in the city after this! This is my last chance. I **HAVE** to keep this job!"

* * *

><p><em>Soon after, the game finally started. Every few minutes or so I'd check on the boys. You know, just to be sure. I was still doing my job, of course. But every single time, they were in their seats, just watching the game! I was beginning to believe that they actually weren't going to ruin my day! Those two, entranced by a sport in which guys hit balls with bats? Who would've thunk it? If I had known that, I would've gotten them out of my hair last summer! I can finally live a day without having to worry about Phineas and Ferb! <strong>WOOHOO!<strong>_

With an empty tray in her possession, Candace started to dance, doing cartwheels back and forth on the open-air concourse, drawing stares from people watching the game around her.

_(**Ed. Note**: Before you ask, this is how Candace normally is. Yep. I don't get her either.)_

* * *

><p>A couple hours later, a glance at the hand-operated scoreboard showed that the home team was trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out, a runner on first, and the potential-tying run at bat. Phineas, Ferb, their mom, and Isabella were keeping their eyes glued to the action, hoping for a rally - as designated by the fact that all three kids had turned their caps around so that the bill was facing backwards.<p>

As for Candace, she was smiling in relief as she looked down from the concourse and at them, now tray-less but still wearing her apron. Suddenly, Stacy walked up next to her, with foil-wrapped hot dogs in hand. She still had her tray on, but there were only two bottles left on it. She began to unwrap one.

"Water me!" a middle-aged man shouted from a few rows below. "Two!"

Candace took Stacy's last two bottles down to him, and returned with $6, which she put in her friend's apron.

"And that makes four trays on the day," proclaimed Stacy.

"Me too!" exclaimed Candace. "Boy, we sold a lot today."

Suddenly, the crowd cheered as the batter got a base hit. He stopped on second, with the runner already on pausing at third. The stadium was in a frenzy as the potential game-winning run stepped up to the plate. The batter was introduced over the loudspeaker.

"Now pinch-hitting, in his first-ever at bat for the Danville Robins, number 25, Darren Dagger!"

The crowd cheered loudly. Candace did not seem to care, while Stacy seemed to recall something as she swallowed the last of her first dog.

"Say, isn't he the guy who just finished coming off a 40-game suspension for failing some drug test?"

"**WHAT?** He failed a drug test?"

"Well, yeah. But, I guess his 40 days is up already. I swear, it feels like they announced that guy's suspension yesterday..."

"**BOO!**" Candace started yelling. "**BOOOOO!**"

"Candace, what are you doing?"

"Didn't you learn anything in school? Drugs are bad! This guy should be banned."

"He apologized. He went to a substance-abuse program. He voluntarily has a social services worker shadowing him so that he stays straight! He knows he made a mistake, and he wants our forgiveness!"

"Well, I, for one, am not giving him it."

She then began yelling again, even though by this point Dagger had already taken his first pitch, for a called strike.

"**WE DON'T WANT YOUR KIND AROUND HERE! GO HOME, LOSER! BOO!**"

Hearing Candace's inciting cries, those sitting near her began to jeer as well.

"**YOU RUINED THE GAME!**"

"**HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE!**"

"**MY WIFE MOVED AWAY BECAUSE SHE LOVED YOU!**"

The man whom Candace had sold Stacy's last two bottles to got up. Although they were still half-full, he chucked them, one at a time, down onto the field. Once the first hit the field, the umpire who had spotted it first raised his arms, calling for play to halt. Then the second bottle landed, near the first. Neither had hit anyone.

But, spurred on by the actions of one of their own, other fans started throwing stuff down on to the field in protest as well. Hard pretzels, foam fingers, baseball gloves, plastic soda cups... you name it, somebody threw it. Immediately, the umpires and both managers called the players off the field and into the safety of the dugouts. Up in the stands, the situation was quickly deteriorating, and those who did not want to get involved, such as Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher and the kids, fled to safety.

Up on the concourse, Candace started to feel responsible for what was going on.

"Crud. Stacy, we have to get out of here! If Mr. Banister finds out I was responsible, I'm a goner for sure!"

She reached out to grab Stacy's hand, but for some reason, it felt bigger and manlier than usual.

_I'll give you three guesses who's standing next to me..._

Candace gulped as she turned to see Mr. Banister, and not Stacy, standing next to her. And he looked like he was about to pop a vein.

* * *

><p>Because of the incident, the game was called, and the home team was forced to forfeit the game. But the outcome did not matter to Candace as much as why it came about, as she, Stacy, and numerous other field workers and volunteers had been drafted to clean up the aftermath - both on the field and in the seats.<p>

"I guess I learned not to incite a crowd with my words. On accident."

Stacy smirked. "You're lucky you got off the hook."

"Only 'cause I didn't actually tell that guy to throw his bottle. Not that it makes me feel any better."

The two girls heard someone whistle at them. They turned towards the home team's dugout and looked up at the railing, where Isabella was waving at them to come over. They obliged.

"I heard what happened. You gotta be more careful, Candace!"

"I know, I know."

"You know what they say, though. The first day is **ALWAYS** the toughest. It should get easier from here on out."

"That's a relief. At least we got in some good time today. Five hours closer to complete my community service requirement! I might be able to do this after all!"

_And despite everything that's happened the past week or so, that's all that really matters, right? Helping the community... and getting one step closer to graduating. That's all you Campfire Girls' readers need to know._

_(**Ed. Note**: Fireside Girls. She still doesn't get it.)_

"Five hours?" Stacy thought aloud. "That's 55 hours to go! Looks like somebody's working every home game for the rest of the summer!"

To that, Candace grumbled her only possible response.

"I'd better start writing that petition."

With that, Candace left.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So Candace writing an entry is another one of those 'experimental' ideas for season two, so like the others, I'll ask... do you want to see more? As usual, let me know in the reviews!<p>

Next week is part one of the two-part season finale! See ya then!


	23. Wild Fireside Girls, Part 1

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

It's been a long season, but we're coming down to the end! Here's part one of two of the second season finale!

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these before reading this):**  
>- Entries #386 &amp; #274 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 202 &amp; 208, respectively)<p>

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>An orange van drove through a set of gates and past a sign that read 'Sheer Falls Park.' It kept moving along the roads, not coming to a stop until it came to a marker which read 'Campsite 29,' at which point it came to a stop.<p>

Seconds later, the passenger side door slid open, and members of Fireside Girls Troop 46231 began filing out. Meanwhile, the front passenger door swung open, and out hopped the troop's leader, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. She inhaled deeply as she got a whiff of the open air around her.

_Entry #399 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_Whatcha' doin'? Reading our blog, I bet! Well, followers, have we got a good one for you today! We're now T-minus 27 days until the Fireside Girls Jamboree, and before the big event, our troop is having a little camping retreat. One, to get away from our normal lives - sorry, Phineas, but this is one weekend I don't want to be doing whatever you're doin' - and two, to begin getting ourselves mentally and physically prepared for the Jamboree! This time, we're not leaving it up to an after-the-fact ruling... we're gonna win 'Troop of the Year!' And you can bet on that!_

_But, really, don't. Seriously. Fireside Girls don't endorse gambling of any kind. Now, where was I?_

"Hop to it, girls!" barked Isabella. "We've got three hours to set up camp before the sun goes down! Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" replied the troop, in unison.

The girls all went to work, beginning to move supplies from the van to the campsite. First order of business was setting up tents, and the girls paired off to start that process - Gretchen with Ginger, Adyson with Holly, and Milly with Katie.

_You guys remember what happened last year, right? Well, if you don't, maybe what happens next will jolt your memory..._

Isabella notices the campsite next to them was set up. She spotted three tents, each sporting Fireside orange as background to a daffodil pattern that adorned them.

"Ooh, another Fireside Girls troop! I should be neighborly and introduce myself!"

She strutted over and did just that, heading towards the center tent, which was slightly bigger than the others.

"Hello! Anybody in there?"

She immediately got an answer. From a very familiar voice. And the body to match the voice, as Isabella noted upon this troop's leader lifting up the tent flap and emerging from her quarters.

"Cheese and crackers!" the girl groaned. "You again, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro?"

The girl was Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry, the leader of Troop 28933.

_-_  
><em>Entry #399 [FSD215] - Wild Fireside Girls: <em>_Part 1, I'm a Camping Survivor! (05.07.12)_  
><em>-<em>

_There I was, standing face-to-face with my Fireside rival, Elizabeth! She's only girl left from that troop a year ago that cheated their way to the title of Troop of the Year by using visual aids during the singing competition. Since then, Elizabeth has made it her mission to get her revenge for that debacle, and she's assembled a new group of girls to help her._

Isabella took a few steps back as the rest of Elizabeth's troop emerged from the tents. They all stood strong behind their leader, ready to back her up if need be.

"Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry! Of all of the places you could have set up camp, you pick next to MY girls?"

"Last I checked, this be a free country, lass."

Not feeling comfortable being outnumbered seven-to-one, Isabella put two fingers in her mouth and whistled for help. In an instant, her troop appeared alongside her. Upon recognizing whom they had to come to 'save' Isabella from, Adyson could be heard groaning.

"Great! I'm gonna have to learn all of their first **AND** last names too!"

Suddenly, one of the girls in Elizabeth's troop, a behemoth of a girl who was a clear foot taller than anyone else and had muscles upon muscles bulging out of her arms and legs, clenched her fists before starting to step forward. But before she could get past her leader, Elizabeth stuck out her arm to the side to block her.

"No! No, Betty! Fireside Girls do not condone violence! Especially against other Fireside Girls!"

Betty grumbled in understanding, then stepped back into line.

"You'll have to excuse her," Elizabeth told Isabella. "She's new, that she is."

Gretchen tapped Isabella on the shoulder, then whispered something in her ear. Isabella then turned her attention to the portable electric generators sitting in the campsite. One for each tent. She also noticed that Elizabeth's troop also had a microwave, a TV, and a bunch of Bango-Ru dolls that were arranged in a circle around the heater.

"No offense, Elizabeth," Isabella pointed out, "but isn't this a little much for a camping trip?"

"There's nothing wrong with bringing some comforts from home. Besides, Isabella, what about you and your Yanks?"

Elizabeth pointed over at Isabella's campsite. Or, more specifically, at the bags and bags of food that had been left in a pile on the ground.

"You blokes feedin' an army?"

Isabella said in defense, "I don't see how having an overabundance of food is worse than what your troop's doing!"

"We're modernized young women, not savages," shot back Elizabeth, "Unlike some people."

Suddenly, there was a lot of shouting and arguing between the members of the two troops, as they debated which side was more wrong in their actions. After a minute or so, someone came in to end the feud.

"Hold it right there, little ladies!"

Everyone stopped and gasped as they saw Eliza M. Feyersied, the founder of the Fireside Girls, standing before them.

"There's only one way to settle this debate! Isabella, please read aloud Article 12, Section Foxtrot, Footnote 3!"

Gretchen came forth with the Fireside Girls Rules of Order book, already opened to page that Isabella needed. Everyone listened attentively as Isabella began reading aloud.

"Troop versus troop challenges: Survivor Patch-Off. Two or more Fireside troops may compete against each other in a test of survival skills. All participating troops must survive one night in the wild with very minimal supplies. The troop that does that the best and passes uniform inspection the following morning will earn their Survivor Camping Patch. Additional stakes, such as one troop's tickets to the Fireside Girls Jamboree, may also be wagered, as long as it is done within accordance of the principles of the Fireside Girls."

"Seems strangely specific," commented Elizabeth, "but those terms are just. As long as you're willing to part with your tickets!"

"We're not giving up anything without a fight! Elizabeth, you've got yourself a challenge!"

* * *

><p>30 minutes later...<p>

Everything had been removed from both campsites except for tents, sleeping bags, and one set of sleeping wear for each girl. Once Mrs. Feyersied had departed with the last of the extras, the challenge officially began.

"Alright, girls!" Isabella said, addressing her troop. "This should be easy! First things first! Adyson, you're on foraging duty! Take Holly and Ginger and find us some grub! Gretchen, take Milly and Katie and get looking for firewood! By my triangulation of the sun's position, we've got less than two and a half hours before nightfall!"

The girls headed off. Seeing this, Elizabeth spurred her girls into action.

"Oh, she won't be getting the drop on us! Let's show them blokes we can forage and collect firewood better than them! Go, girls, go!"

And with that, Elizabeth's girls split into two teams and went off.

* * *

><p>Ginger and Holly were smiling gleefully as they picked berries from some bushes. Suddenly, Adyson walked up to them, happily sporting a pair of fresh mushrooms in her hands.<p>

Not too far away, Lauren was peeved as she saw their success from afar. She pointed to her two friends to produce better results. They ran off and returned seconds later with a beehive that they had plucked from a nearby tree. And with it came its inhabitants, an angry swarm of bees. The trio fled for their lives, with the hive in tow.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, Betty was grinning from ear to ear as Abigail and another girl placed a bunch of twigs and branches into her arms. Abigail smirked as she knew she was being watched.<p>

Nearby, Gretchen was indeed keeping tabs on the opposition, as she lowered a pair of binoculars from her eyes. She spun around to see how Milly and Katie were doing. Her jaw dropped wide open when she saw them unknowingly pick apart a beaver dam. A dam that collapsed right underneath them, taking the girls and its remnants down the river. Gretchen pulled a pair of live preserves out, from seemingly nowhere, and chased after her friends.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, after nightfall...<p>

On one campsite, a previously-lit fire was on its last embers as it died out before the last of the girls headed into her tent for the night. On the other side, the campfire was still going strong, as three girls sat cross-legged around it, all in their pajamas.

"How can they already be sleeping?" grumbled Adyson. "Those berries and mushrooms didn't do anything for me! I'm still famished!"

Gretchen tapped her on the shoulder and offered a piece of tree bark.

"No matter how hard you try to convince me, Gretch, tree jerky is **NOT** food!"

"Keep it down, guys!" Isabella waved her arm at them. "I'm trying to hear what they're up to!"

"Um, Chief?" Gretchen interjected. "I don't think they're up to anything."

"Good. Which means we can be up to something."

Suddenly, Katie ran out of her tent, doing so awkwardly as she headed for the woods. Milly exited right after, following her there.

"Buddy system, Kat! Buddy system!"

Once they disappeared from sight, Isabella's face lit up. She had just gotten an idea. Gretchen and Adyson watched as their leader went over to Milly and Katie's tent and started taking it down. They had dumbfounded looks on their faces, and so did Holly and Ginger when they stuck their heads out of their tent to see what all the commotion was about.

"Taking our tents down and sleeping underneath the big, blue sky ought to earn us some extra points! That'll give us an edge! Ooh, and we can make an outdoor shelter out of the leftover firewood! Double bonus!"

Isabella got up and went to work realizing her plan.

"I don't like those girls either," commented Adyson, "but even **I** think this is a bit much."

"I have to agree," added Gretchen, as she stood up. "For you see..."

Before Gretchen could finish, though, she was interrupted by a series of loud screams.

"That came from the other troop's camp!" exclaimed Isabella.

Suddenly, there was a second round of screams. This set came from the woods to their east.

"And that's coming from where Milly and Katie went!"

The girls split up to check out both trouble sites. Holly and Ginger ran towards the treeline, while Gretchen and Adyson followed Isabella over to their neighbor's campsite.

Once there, Isabella's group was astonished to see the camp had been completely trashed, which was apparent even in the darkness of night.

"Search for clues," commanded Isabella, "but be **VERY** careful! Whatever came through here might still be lurking about!"

Isabella headed directly for Elizabeth's tent. She squinted as she tried to see if anyone was hiding in there. The tent was empty. But she did find something highly out of place.

A flashlight.

She grabbed it, flipped the on switch, and exited the tent. Her newfound source of light immediately got Gretchen's attention.

"Chief!" she shouted. "Ten o'clock!"

Isabella turned in that direction and saw Gretchen about 70 feet away. She was done on one knee and looking down at what looked to be a partial beehive that was mostly covered in honey. Isabella went over to get a closer look.

"I recognize that!" Adyson said as she appeared to Gretchen's left just as Isabella got to Gretchen's right. "That's the beehive Lauren and her group plucked out of a tree earlier!"

"The way this hive broke," speedily deduced Gretchen, "tells me that it wasn't by human hands, intentional or otherwise."

"Hold up!" Isabella said aloud. "Adyson, take one step to your right."

Adyson complied. Isabella shined her flashlight where Adyson had been standing just a moment ago. Right there, in plain sight, were giant animal tracks.

"Bear tracks," identified Gretchen. "American black, to be precise."

She and Isabella started scanning the ground for more bear prints. When they found a trail of them, they began following them and were about to leave the campsite when Adyson called out to them.

"Uh, girls? Do you remember there being any other active campsites within sight of ours?"

She had asked that because she had just spotted a large amount of light coming from what looked to be a grouping of tents to their southwest.

"We should go over there," Isabella decided. "One, to warn them about the bear, and two, see if they've seen Elizabeth's troop."

As they headed off in that direction...

* * *

><p>Holly and Ginger were stumbling through the forest, in search of their lost friends.<p>

"This is what I don't like about camping!" exclaimed Ginger. "You go to 'go,' and then you go missing!"

"I hear ya!" agreed Holly. "Who knows what you could run into out her-..."

They suddenly heard the sound of a twig snapping, and the duo stopped where they were. They waited and listened closely to see if they could identify by sound what they were about to run into. But after all they heard was silence, they decided to continue onward.

Soon enough, they stepped out of the underbrush and onto an unmarked path. And on it was a black bear, one that was staring right at them. And he was not pleased to see them. Holly and Ginger started to back away, but the bear started coming for them, matching them step for agonizing step.

"Okay," Holly told Ginger, "remember our training. When confronted by a hostile bear, the best way to get rid of him is to play dead. Got it?"

With that, Holly laid down on the ground, closed her eyes, and waited for the danger to pass. Ginger, on the other hand...

"**EEEKKKKKKKKKKK!**"

...panicked, and ran screaming down the path. The bear roared, then chased after her, not even giving the 'dead' Holly a sniff before doing so. Once she could no longer hear Ginger or the bear, Holly opened her eyes and got to her feet.

"It worked! Now, to go save Ginger."

She dusted herself off and took two steps forward. The ground gave way underneath her, and she fell into a pit.

"Really? How am I the only one who fell for it?"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Isabella's group had made it to the far-off camp. And when they got there, they saw a few people they had secretly hoped that would never see again. Oh, and Elizabeth and her entire troop as well.<p>

"Small world! Looks like my girl came crawling back to... The Chaz!"

"I'm beginning to regret suggesting this camping retreat," deadpanned Isabella.

The campsite was occupied by the members of Riverside Rats Troop 12038. And among them were The Chaz, who was the troop leader, as well as his friends Larry and Taylor - the latter two of which had appeared behind Gretchen and Adyson.

"It was scientifically proven that we'd meet again," Larry told Gretchen, interlocking arms with her.

Taylor tried to wrap Adyson in a bear hug, but she sidestepped him and he instead received a free trip to the dirt below.

"Still sore about what we did, huh?"

"Although it's great seeing you beauties again," The Chaz said aloud, "we're on official Riverside Rats business. Plus, we're already entertaining guests."

"If you call this entertaining!" griped Elizabeth. "All you and your boys have done is gawk at us since the moment we came here in mortal terr- I mean, to warn you about the bear that ravaged our camp! It's like none of you lads know how to talk to girls."

"Trust me," Isabella grumbled. "They don't."

"Why you gotta go and ruin my game like that, babe?" asked The Chaz.

"Call me babe one more time..."

"Oh, sorry, ba- Isabella. Isabella! See? I can call you by your name."

"Peachy. Look, Elizabeth, I won't stop you if you want to stay here, under the protection of... them..."

The three boys grinned, flashing their pearly whites.

"...but doing so violates the terms of our challenge. There's no way you're winning if you don't go back to your campsite."

"I don't know about you, Isabella, but the lives of me and my troop are more important than some silly barbaric competition! We'll find another way to the Jamboree."

"Very well. Let's go, girls. We've got to find the rest of our troop."

Isabella, Gretchen, and Adyson departed. Once they were out of earshot, The Chaz walked over to Elizabeth, intending to take a seat next to her...

"Not if you were the last bloody Yank in the world..."

...and he kept walking, all the way to his tent.

* * *

><p>The girls were expecting a long night, but they got a pleasant surprise when they found the others had made their way back to camp. They all shared hugs, glad to see they were all still alive and safe.<p>

"What happened?" Isabella asked.

"We heard a bear," Milly replied, "and we hid in the woods, hoping it wouldn't find us!"

"Safe to say I'm not going the rest of the night," added Katie, even if got her a few uneasy looks from the others.

"We found the bear," stated Ginger. "It got Holly, then I ran for my life!"

"It didn't get me!" corrected Holly. "I played dead, which you were supposed to do, and after he left, I fell into a pit!"

"Oh. Well, at least I got rid of the bear. Or shooed it away."

"It probably went back to the other troop's camp," deduced Gretchen. "There was still some honey left in that hive."

"Should be enough to satiate his appetite for the night," Adyson said in relief. "I think we can sleep easy."

"Good, especially since Elizabeth and company are out of commission."

"What?" the other four girls asked.

"Long story. I'll tell you all tomorrow. I think it's time we turn in."

With that, the girls went into their tents to retire for the night.

* * *

><p><em>So you'd think that the story was over. That we had won easily. Well...<em>

It was morning, and now both troops were now gathered at Isabella's troop's campsite. Troop 28933 had already conceded and were just waiting for the inevitable announcement that Troop 46231 had won. But there was a problem as Isabella's troop was undergoing uniform inspection.

Ginger was wearing a uniform that was two sizes too small for her, while Isabella was still dressed in her pajamas.

"I... can't believe... you threw your uniform at the bear... to chase it off... and then tried to hide it by snatching my uniform and not telling me until five minutes ago."

"I was panicking, okay?"

Eliza M. Feyersied was performing the inspection herself, and she shook her head in disappointment after doing so.

"I expected better from you and your charges, Isabella. You fail inspection, which means **BOTH** troops failed the challenge. That also means that nobody gets tickets to the Jamboree."

"What? No!"

All of the girls in Isabella's troop groaned in dismay.

"We worked so hard for those tickets!"

"And we worked so hard to legally take those tickets from them!" shouted Elizabeth, inserting her own argument.

"I'm sorry," Eliza told them, "but if you want them, you'll have to earn enough money in the next few weeks to buy them, like the other troops normally do."

Elizabeth stepped forward.

"I beseech you, great founder of the Fireside Girls... surely you could see it in your heart to give one of our troops the tickets!"

Isabella also made her case.

"Elizabeth's troop didn't earn those tickets, we did. But she has a point. It wouldn't be right for those to just go to waste, unclaimed!"

Eliza thought about it for a minute.

"I suppose you young girls are right."

Isabella and Elizabeth smiled.

"But we'd need to come up with some other way to test which troop is worthy of them. But what?"

Girls on both troops started racking their brains, attempting to come up with an idea. A stumped Isabella, unable to come up with one, started to worry once more.

"Oh, this is hopeless. If only Phineas and Ferb were here. I know they'd come up with a good idea!"

* * *

><p>40 miles away, in a certain suburban Danville backyard...<p>

"**FERB!** I know what we're gonna do today!"

Phineas looked over at his brother Ferb, who responded...

"Your friend-in-need sensors went off, didn't they?"

"Yes. Yes, they did."

_So, what idea did Phineas and Ferb come up with to help us? I'd tell you, but you'll just have to wait until next time to find out!_

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>15 down, only one to go. Come back next Monday for the second half of the "Fireside Diaries" season finale to see how this one ends!<p> 


	24. Wild Fireside Girls, Part 2

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Here we are at the end of the second season. Can you guess what movie this episode is a homage to? Answer's at the end! (Hint: The episode title pretty much gives it away.)

**Prerequisite (i.e. read that before reading this):**  
>- Entry #399 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 215)<p>

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #400 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Last time, our troop had gone off on a camping retreat. It was short-lived, though, as we learned our neighbors were in fact the members of our rivals, Troop 28933. We put our tickets for the upcoming Fireside Girls Jamboree on the line in a Survivor Patch-Off._

_We couldn't find a victor for our first challenge, so we had to to employ some outside help to think of a second..._

Isabella was ecstatic to see Phineas and Ferb arrive at the campsite. And they had come prepared, with blueprints in hand.

"We heard you girls needed a new challenge to undertake," Phineas said aloud, "so we came up with this... a great canoe race!"

Ferb unfurled the largest of the blueprints on the ground, and Isabella, along with Elizabeth, who had walked over to see what was going on, only needed a few seconds to scan it and decide that this was what they were going to do.

"Jolly good!" proclaimed Elizabeth. "My troop's in!"

"If they're in, then so are we!" Isabella said in response.

"Good," Phineas nodded. "Let's build us some canoes!"

**-**  
><strong>Entry #400 [FSD216] - Wild Fireside Girls:<strong>  
><strong>Part 2, Race for Your Tickets, Troop 46231! (05.14.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

All the boats were lined up at the starting line. Phineas, atop a boat he created with his stepbrother Ferb, started passing down maps to each of the teams.

"What's he doing here?" The Chaz asked, pointing at Phineas.

"There's no rule saying we can't race either."

He pointed out Ferb, as well as Buford and Baljeet, who were part of his crew.

"Actually," Elizabeth interjected, "given what we're racing for, you shouldn't be in this. And neither should you blokes, Rats!"

"We're in it to impress some girls," admitted Chaz.

Immediately knowing he was referring to her, Isabella shouted from off-screen, "In your dreams, maybe!"

"Fine," Elizabeth gave in. "But what about **HER**?"

She pointed to the boat on the other side of Phineas's, which was going to be driven by Candace.

"I can't bust you all if I don't see you race! So I'm staying!"

Her co-pilot, Stacy, had her own reasons for participating.

"Meh. Better than going on a blind date set up by my mom."

"Now that we're caught up on who's in," Phineas spoke up once more, "this map has marked off a course best suited to test off canoe piloting and navigation skills. First to the finish wins!"

Each team quickly unfurled their map and studied it for a few seconds. Before they knew it, Phineas had taken out a flare gun and he pulled the trigger. When the flare exploded in the sky, the race began!

All five teams began their paddling, each hoping to get out into the early lead. The Riverside Rats used pure muscle to reach the first riverbend before anyone else. Fireside Troop 28933 was second, followed by Phineas' team, Candace and Stacy, and lastly, Fireside Troop 46231, who was having trouble getting their rowers in sync.

"Stroke!" bellowed Isabella. "Stroke! At the same time, girls, or we won't go anywhere!"

Although the river was made by nature, Phineas and Ferb had put some manmade, but environmentally-friendly obstacles along the way to make things more challenging. First up was a section of rapids, enhanced by the addition of a wave machine. The device was set so that the waves were just high enough to cause choppy waters, but not too high as to fling boats up and over.

"Child's play!" The Chaz exclaimed, seeing the rapids. "Chop it up, fellas!"

The Rats navigated through the rapids without any problems, making sure to follow the flow as much as possible while staying in control. Not wanting to be outdone, Elizabeth sprung her girls into action.

"Betty, get to the back! Lauren and Abigail, hard to port. Christy, stop eating that candy bar and pick up your oar!"

The girls followed Elizabeth's orders exactly, and they got through. Next up was Phineas and his crew.

"**WHEEEEEE!**" exclaimed Phineas, Ferb, and Buford with their arms high in the air.

Baljeet was the only one not having fun in the group, as he was steering and getting splashed left and right by the waves.

"I should have brought more underwear," he said with a sigh.

Behind them, Candace and Stacy entered the rapids. Stacy grabbed the oars and was about to hand one to Candace when she was met with a hand to the face.

"Um, Candace?"

"We need to take a vote, Stacy! We should vote for whether we should row left then right, or right then left!"

Stacy only had one response to that.

"You serious?"

"**DO I LOOK LIKE I KID? PASS OUT THE BALLOTS, STACY!**"

The ballot was a blank half-piece of yellow notepad paper. Both girls took their half, wrote down their vote with a pen, folded it up, and placed them in a bowler hat that Candace happened to have.

"Okay, Stacy, count the votes!"

Stacy did as she was told.

"One vote for left then right. Two votes for left then right. Um, so left than right wins."

"So it does!"

Last but not least was Isabella's troop. Isabella shouted out orders as she attempted to keep them afloat and upright.

"Lean left! No, right! Steady as she goes! Speed up, right side! C'mon, girls!"

It was rough going, especially when Ginger brought her oar up a little too high and accidentally hit Adyson in the back of the head, but they made it without losing anybody.

"That was close, Chief!" Gretchen exclaimed.

"I'll say," Isabella said, relieved. "I hope the rest of the course isn't this tough..."

* * *

><p>The next thing the teams had to get through was a fog-filled lake that also had several exits, many of which used a series of slides like one would see in a log flume, to double back and dump them back in they lake. They could barely see five feet in front of them, so they had to use their other senses to get to the correct exit.<p>

The teams dealt with many more obstacles. The Rats were shown bailing water out of their boat after getting caught in a freak torrential downpour. Candace was seen batting away hungry crocodiles with her oar as Stacy attempted to paddle them to safety. Phineas and his crew try to barter their way past a family of beavers in the midst of building a dam. Elizabeth and her troop were under fire from locals posing as spear-chucking natives. And lastly, Isabella and her girls were seen trying to break up the ice after an odd, midsummer blizzard blew through the air.

* * *

><p>But despite all the ridiculousness on the course, all five boats were still in the running as they reached a fork in the river - the last one before the finish line.<p>

"Okay!" Phineas shouted out loud. "Make sure you take the left fork ahead! As fun as waterfalls can be, the one down the right fork isn't the kind you wanna ride on. So go with the flow!"

All of the boats heeded Phineas' warning, and started bearing to the left. All except...

"Stacy! Pass out the ballots!"

"Candace?"

The redhead gave her the eye. Stacy sighed, then followed Candace's instructions. After voting, Stacy tallied them.

"One vote we go left. One vote we go right. It's a tie!"

"There be no such thing as ties in a democracy! We vote again!"

"Candace, I'm not changing our vote! Phineas said..."

"We're not doing anything until we decide which way we're going to go until one option has a majority!"

They voted again, and Stacy tallied them.

"One vote we go right. And one vote we go left."

"Oh, come on!"

But by this point, though, the junction had passed, and the river had carried them down the right fork. Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of roaring water. A sound commonly heard near...

"**WATERFALL! DEAD AHEAD!**"

Stacy frowned. "If we survive this, I'm impeaching you."

They picked up their oars and tried to escape, but it was no good. Seconds later, they could be heard screaming as their boat went over the edge and down into the jagged rocks below...

* * *

><p>But they were not the only ones with problems, as the boat of Troop 28933 had sprung a leak unexpectedly. Then two, four, and eight. In just seconds, there were leaks everywhere!<p>

"We're taking on water fast!" remarked Abigail.

"Well, **DUH!**" quipped Lauren.

"Abandon boat!" shouted Elizabeth.

The entirety of the troop either jumped or swam on the boat as it quickly became to filled with water stay afloat, and it sank. Not too far behind them were Isabella and her team. They had witnessed the entire event.

"They've been sunk, Chief!" pointed out Gretchen. "What should we do?"

Isabella groaned. She knew what she had to do. She knew what she was supposed to. And yet she did not want to do it. But...

"Bringing aboard seven, girls! Make room!"

The girls stopped paddling so their boat would come to a halt in front of Elizabeth and her troop.

"What are ye doing?" Elizabeth queried. "You got this, fair and square!"

"You should know better than anyone, since you're troop leader," replied Isabella. "Fireside Girls never ignore other Fireside Girls in need."

Isabella extended an arm out to Elizabeth, wanting her to grab on so she can be pulled up into the boat. She hesitated at first, believing she did not need pity from a rival troop. But she did not want to stay in the water all day, so, she grabbed Isabella's hand and let her pull her up. The other girls were helped up soon after, one at a time. While this was happening, they were passed by the Riverside Rats, who went by without even stopping.

Isabella focused on the issue at hand... how to manage 14 people in a boat when they had only six oars to go around and little room to stretch.

"The only way this is going to work is if we have our best rowers in place. Everyone else is gonna have to squeeze in the center and make no sudden movements."

"I got no problem with that, lass! Lauren! Betty! Veronica! You girls cover this side of the boat."

"Great! Adyson, Holly, and Katie, you've got this side!"

Once everyone got into position...

"And..." both leaders said in unison, "**STROKE!**"

Isabella and Elizabeth looked at each other in confusion.

"Um, our boat, my command. Got it?"

"Fine. It's your boat."

"Okay, girls of Troop 46231 and Troop 28933! All together now... stroke! Stroke! Stroke!"

The girls quickly got into a rhythm, and they were moving once more. They had to hurry, though. The finish line was not that far away.

* * *

><p>Up towards the front, the two all-boys teams were trading the lead back and forth. Both were determined to get to the finish first. The two boats reached a point where the river merged with the stream leading away from the bottom of the waterfall they were instructed to avoid. All of a sudden, a boat surfaced in front of them. It was Candace and Stacy, and not only had they survived the huge drop, but they had managed to bail out enough water to keep their boat afloat, and they had popped up in front everyone else, in the lead.<p>

"Candace!" exclaimed Phineas.

"How?" gasped a shocked The Chaz.

The Fireside Girls had gotten the other boats in sight just as Candace's boat had reappeared.

"There they all are! We're still in it, girls! Stroke, **STROKE!**"

The finish line was in sight, and all four boats raced to get there first. Candace and Stacy were leading the way, followed by the team of Phineas, Ferb, Buford, and Baljeet, then the Riverside Rats, and lastly, the Fireside Girls.

"We're gonna win!" Candace exclaimed. "We're gonna win!"

Candace dropped her oar and stood up, extending her arms straight up in the air. She then started to dance, swaying her hips left and right, back and forth.

"Uh huh! Oh yeah! We're the winners! We're the winners!"

"Candace! Don't stand up in the bo-o**AAAAAAAT!**"

"**AAAAAAHHHHHH!**"

Candace had danced too hard, thrusting to her left so much that she lost her balance, tipping the boat over and sending her and Stacy into the murky river. Their boat was now upside down, floating on the water. The two teenagers surfaced shortly thereafter. As for their oars, they continued down the river without them. As did the other boats.

"**YOU'RE STILL BUSTED AFTER THIS!**" Candace yelled after her brothers.

Phineas, Ferb, Buford, and Baljeet were in rhythm as they drew ever closer to the line. Buford, hoping to speed them up even more, tossed his oar aside, ripped the one Baljeet had out of his hands, and used the Indian boy as his new oar. It worked as they sped up. For about five strokes anyway.

On the sixth stroke, Buford lost his grip on Baljeet's ankles as he was pulled away by some overgrown tuna fish.

"Help!" cried Baljeet as he was dragged upstream by a large tuna. "I am being fishnapped by a lost salt water fish!"

"Wow," Phineas admitted, as the trio stopped rowing. "I'll admit, I didn't foresee that predicament."

"Well, this isn't our show, after all," said Ferb.

The boys chased after Baljeet-in-a-tuna. That meant the race was down to the Riverside Rats and the Fireside Girls. The girls were closing the gap, but the finish line was only a few paddle strokes away.

"We're not gonna make it!" Adyson shouted.

Isabella was not willing to concede until the Rats had passed under the banner. Suddenly, she remembered something. She turned to face the Rats' boat as they started to come alongside.

"Oh, The Chaz!"

The Rats' leader responded. "It's not Chaz, it's **THE** Chaz... oh, wait, that's right."

"Remember that favor you owe us in exchange for us not telling your Scout Leader what you and your friends did to our blog?"

"Nice try, babe. We don't owe you anything! You posted what happened on your blog and we got demerits for it!"

"Okay, then. Let's make a deal! I not not-promise to not go out with you if you do not throw this race for us!"

The Chaz took a second to process what Isabella had offered. He then replied...

"**DEAL!**"

He picked up an anchor, which was lying flat on the boat and apparently out of sight for the entirety of the race and threw it overboard. Instantly, the Rats' boat came to a dead stop. As the Fireside Girls went by, The Chaz took a few more seconds to process Isabella's offer again.

"Hey! You tricked me!"

"Sorry!" apologized Isabella as she waved farewell. "All's fair in love and war! Especially the war part!"

Isabella was pleased with her little act of trickery, and Elizabeth was impressed, laughing at what had happened.

"Blimey! It's true what they say. Boys **ARE** daft!"

To which Isabella responded, "Yes. Yes, they are."

The two troop leaders high-fived each other as the front of the boat crossed the finish line. A loud cheer went up among the crew.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, after everyone had dried off and the boats were out of the water, it was time to for the founder of the Fireside Girls to pass out awards.<p>

"Another tie," sighed Isabella as she turned to Elizabeth. "Looks like both of our troops will have to raise some extra money to make the trip to the Jamboree after all."

"Aye," agreed Elizabeth. "'Tis a shame. We should both be getting free rides, after the effort we put together."

"Yeah. But you know it doesn't work that way."

Eliza approached the two troop leaders with a smile on her face. Which seemed odd given the circumstances.

"It doesn't, Isabella, Elizabeth. But there are times where making an exception is acceptable."

She pulled out enough tickets out of her pocket to give to each member of both troops.

"You really mean it?" asked Elizabeth to make sure she had heard her right. "We all get to go?"

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Isabella. "Hear that, girls? We're **ALL** going to the Jamboree!"

The girls all cheered gleefully. They started to sing and dance and dish out hugs. Most of the girls were content with hugging each other. But Isabella grabbed Phineas, who happened to be standing nearby, watching the whole ceremony.

"Thanks, Phineas!" she told him. "Without you, none of this would have been possible!"

"Anything to help you girls!"

Isabella was a little disappointed that he added an extra word to the end of that compliment. But no matter. She got to hug him, and he let her. That was enough for her.

Adyson, though, was not going to get out done by Isabella in the celebration department. She grabbed the nearest boy and gave him a peck on the cheek without even giving it a second thought. The boy seemed so surprised and delighted by it that he promptly fainted afterwards.

"**THAT** is how you celebrate a win!"

As Adyson gave herself a congratulatory pat on the back and walked off to continue celebrating with the others, the boy in question came to as he sat up on the ground.

"What just happened?"

That boy was Baljeet. Buford knelt down next to him and answered his questions.

"You just got the cooties, and you got six months to live! Nice knowing ya!"

"That just make me even more befuddled!"

The two troops continued to celebrate, not paying any attention to the Riverside Rats, who were leaving the scene. But not before their leader could get in some last words...

"You may have won this round, Fireside Girls, but next time, the Riverside Rats will be the triumphant ones! Oh, that babe Isabella will be mine! Rats, we are out! Peace!"

With the departure of the Rats, that left the Fireside Girls and their friends to begin the clean-up process...

* * *

><p>But as everything got cleaned up and everyone packed their belongings back into the vehicles they had brought them to Sheer Falls Park, there was still one last matter to take care of.<p>

And that involved Elizabeth getting the last word in.

"I may have newfound respect for you and your girls, and perhaps even friendship. But don't mistake it as a sign of weaknesses. In four weeks at the Jamboree, Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, my troop will win Troop of the Year, honestly and fairly!"

"Nice try, Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry, but there's one thing wrong with that statement."

"And what's that?"

"My girls are gonna win Troop of the Year! Naturally."

The two girls smirked smugly at each other. They stared into the other's eyes, already looking forward to the competition at the Jamboree.

"Get a room!" shouted Abigail, joking from afar.

"Put a cork in it, Abby!" Elizabeth shouted back without looking.

The two girls shook hands, each squeezing the other's hand hard so she would not be forgotten by her rival. With that, the engine to the van carrying Elizabeth's troop home roared to life, so she headed off to join her party. Isabella and her girls watched Troop 28933 drive off before getting back to finishing their packing.

"Okay, girls!" Isabella said to her troop. "Time to head home!"

_And with that, our camping retreat came to an end. We have some great memories to look back on, and we got to know a lot about ourselves and our rivals. Best of all, we go our free ride to the Jamboree back! By working together with Elizabeth and her troop, we all proved that with teamwork, you can overcome any obstacle!_

_We'll have to remember that at the Jamboree, because it's going to take all of us to become Troop of the Year._  
><em>- Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, leader of Fireside Girls Troop 46231<em>

The van carrying Isabella's troop was packed. The girls hopped in and were off, followed closely by the Flynn-Fletcher's station wagon, which carried Phineas, Ferb, Buford, Baljeet, and Stacy home.

Wait... is there someone missing?

"Hey! Hold up! **YOU FORGOT ME!**"

Candace came running up to the road, but it was too late. Both vehicles were heading for the exit and neither was stopping to wait for her.

"Now what?" she asked aloud.

Suddenly, a loud motorcycle with an attached sidecar pulled to a stop right next to her. Candace coughed as a cloud of dirt kicked up as a result. When it cleared, she could not believe that a white beagle wearing a helmet, sunglasses, and a scarf was behind the wheel. Without saying a word - he is a dog, after all - he lobbed a helmet at Candace, which she caught. To this, Candace only had one response.

"Good grief."

**End Entry**  
><strong>End Season Two<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>And that's season two in the books! Season three is in the planning stages, and you'll see it most likely by the end of this year. Also, this is the last chance you have to suggest an idea for an episode for next season! I'd like to lock in the plotlines by next week. So if you want something to happen to your favorite Fireside Girl... speak now or, well, you know the rest.<p>

And be on the lookout for new "Fireside Diaries" feature, tentatively titled "Jamboree Jambalaya," coming this July! Might be doing some teasers in the weeks leading up to the premiere, so make sure you check my profile page, website, or Twitter feed on a regular basis.

I also participated in a Phineas and Ferb podcast for The [Real] Scratch Pad a couple months ago and it finally got posted last night. I don't talk much in it, as I'm only a guest panelist, but if you're interested in hearing what a bunch of guys think about the show, check it out! The link will be posted on my profile page, or just Google it! Fair warning - it's approximately two hours long!

Be kind and review, and see you for more "Diaries" stuff soon!

_[Answer]_ This episode is an homage to the 1977 animated film "Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown."


	25. The Rise and Fall of President Milly

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Believe it or not, this is the start of the series' third season! Never did I think that it would last this long, nor believe that it would be one of my most popular fanfics **EVER! **So thank you for supporting this series!

I had originally planned to, for once, run this entire season in production order. But since I decided to release this season a couple weeks earlier than expected, I had to skip the first two episodes for now. That two-parter is a holiday special that you will be seeing in a couple weeks. Aside from that, production order all the way! In addition, for the first time there is an overarching storyline that will be seen throughout the season! About half of the episodes are connected and rely on one another, just like the four feature-length stories that have been released in the past. There will be breaks every two to three episodes to reach back into the past to do other stories (like the aforementioned holiday special), but this season is basically about moving forward the timeline.

To put it in perspective, the main 'plot' episodes this season, starting with this one, take place 12-13 months after **"Phineas is Mine!" **So the girls have grown up, so to speak. The time progression means, of course, that this series will start to move a bit further away from canon. Don't expect radical changes that turn everything from the cartoon on its head, but there will now be a few notable differences... as if they aren't already. I hope that won't deter you longtime fans from continuing on, but, trust me, you will love what I have in store for Season Three! And if you're new to the 'show,' welcome! I'm sure you'd love to just jump right in, and you probably can, but I'd recommend you go back and read the series from the start.

You've heard me yap enough, so let the season begin!

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #365 ("I'm Your Next Class President!")<br>- Entry #387 ("Fireside Diaries" Ep. 203 - "Cake Boss")  
>- Entry #400 ("Jamboree Jambalaya")<p>

* * *

><p>It was early afternoon on the first day of school, and all of the fifth and sixth graders at Danville Elementary were gathered inside the multi-purpose room for an assembly. The purpose of the assembly was to remind the kids of the rules, as well as re-introduce the class officers.<p>

_Entry #405_

_The best thing about the first day of a new school year is getting to catch up with all your classmates that you didn't get to spend time with over the summer. The second best, though, is seeing who is in Student Council!_

The principal, a balding man in his 50s, stepped up to the microphone.

"Now, we'll begin the official 'welcome back' speeches by the class presidents, as elected by you last spring. First up, sixth-grade class and Student Council president Adyson Sweetwater!"

The sixth graders cheered with excitement, particularly Isabella, Gretchen, Holly, and Ginger, as well as Phineas, Ferb, and their other friends.

_You might remember Adyson regaling you with the tale of how she won class president a few months ago..._

Adyson wasted no time in getting to the podium and beginning her speech.

"Thank you, Principal Plum! Fellow sixth-graders, after a crazy campaign last spring, I am happy to say that I, your president, along with my fellow competitors..."

Pan over to the two friends she beat to win the election, Isabella and Baljeet, who both had smiles on their faces.

"...have talked extensively over the summer over how to make Danville Elementary a better place for everyone! And, boy, do we have a plan..."

As Adyson dove into her plan for the year, sitting behind her and just to her left was the fifth-grade class president, who was patiently waiting for his turn to speak.

Yes, his.

In the front row on the left side of the multi-purpose room, where the fifth-graders were all sitting, sat the girl who was president-elect back in the spring, and next to her was her campaign manager.

_...but some of you seemed to forget that, at the same time she, Isabella, and Baljeet ran for the sixth-grade class president, I was running unopposed for fifth-grade class president._

The girls in question? Milly and Katie, of course.

_Entry #405 - Written by Milly_

_You're probably thinking... if I ran unopposed, why am I sitting down here with the rest of my classmates, instead of sitting up on stage, preparing to address them? Well, that's a long and complicated story, but since my newest pen pal wanted to know the truth, I decided that it was time to spill the beans._

_This is for you, Patrick!_

**-**  
><strong>Entry #405 [FSD303] - The Rise and Fall of President Milly (11.26.12)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Let's start back in May, during the campaign week..._

On a billboard on the second floor of Danville Elementary, numerous campaign posters had already been put up. Most were from candidates who were running for sixth-grade offices, including a number from the three competitors for president. Stapled in close proximity, from top to bottom, were three posters. The slogans were, in order, 'Vote for the cute one!,' 'I know what's best for you!,' and 'Sweetly bringing justice to the student body!'

"Wow," gasped Milly, who was standing in front of the billboard and reading the campaign flyers from Isabella, Baljeet, and Adyson, respectively. "So incredible!"

Holding her campaign flyer in one hand and a pocket-sized stapler in the other, she added her poster to the others.

Her campaign slogan? 'I'm Milly! Vote for me!'

* * *

><p><em>As I said before, I was running unopposed for fifth-grade president, so I could've done nothing that entire week and still win office. But I still wanted to introduce myself to my classmates and tell them what I could do for them.<em>

"All set?" Milly asked Katie.

"Yep!" Katie said, saluting as she grabbed hold of a cart filled with several trays of freshly baked muffins.

With that, Milly pushed open the double doors leading to the playground. She held them open to allow Katie to come out. It was recess on the Wednesday of campaign week, two days before the election, and it was time to spread the word about her candidacy.

"Future fifth-graders!" she shouted.

A number of nearby fifth graders looked up and over from the swings, jungle gym, and seesaws, turning their attention to Milly, who was chipper as she introduced herself.

"My name is Milly, and I'm running to be your next class president! I promise to do everything I can to make the fifth grade fun!"

But they apparently were uninterested, as they all went back to what they were doing.

"I can't do this without you," she said, starting to get down. "I'm running for you guys."

Katie was seeing her friend struggling to get through, and as her campaign manager, she would not allow that.

"**FREE MUFFINS!**"

Upon hearing the word 'free,' all of the fifth-graders within a 200 foot radius charged for the cart. Milly became excited again as she and Katie passed out cupcakes to them.

"Vote for Milly!" she told each person as she gave them a muffin.

Most of the other kids took their muffin and ran, but a few stuck around as Milly traversed the other parts of the playground. They started telling them their problems.

"I heard sixth graders endlessly pick on fifth graders!" one boy told her.

"They take all the good seats at lunch," another said.

"They push us around when we're all trying to get to the bus," remarked one girl.

"The sixth graders always get what they want! Why can't we?" questioned a third boy.

Milly took the concerns to heart as the group passed by the other members of Fireside Girls' Troop 46231, in the midst of a tense straw poll meeting.

_As I got to talking to the would-be voters, I quickly sensed a common theme..._

* * *

><p><em>...one that I would use to figure out my platform.<em>

The next day, Milly and Katie were seen handing out new and improved campaign flyers and buttons. Since they were in two different classes, they could hand out things twice as fast, in only half the time.

Each person that took a flyer and a button would note Milly's new campaign slogan. 'I'll fight for you!'

_Sixth graders get all the respect from the school faculty, and, as I discovered, they pretty much always got what they wanted. So I figured, the way to go was to promise more fair treatment for us would-be fifth graders. Plus, I knew that no matter who won the sixth-grade presidential race, I knew that they'd be more than happy to help bridge the equality gap._

* * *

><p><em>And it worked!<em>

The principal was announcing the election results over the PA system...

"In the race for fifth-grade class president, the winner, with 85% of the vote... Milly!"

Milly had a smile on her face as her classmates and her teacher applauded her victory.

_Okay, so 85% is pretty low for someone who officially ran unopposed, but I didn't care! I was president-elect, and I was already beginning to formulate how I'd fulfill my lone campaign promise!_

* * *

><p>The next night, in the Garcia-Shapiro backyard, a joint celebration party for both Adyson and Milly was being held. The two president-elects were chatting with each other and Isabella, who had joined in.<p>

"Congratulations, fellow class president!" exclaimed Adyson. She then added, with remorse, "Sorry we weren't there to help you out."

"Yeah," Isabella said in agreement. "Adyson and I were too focused on trying to beat each other that we forgot to show our support for you."

"I understand," Milly replied. "What matters is that you're both supporting me now!"

The three girls shared a group hug.

"So," Isabella spoke up, "we heard about your campaign promise, Milly, and Adyson and I are with you one-hundred percent!"

"Izzy and I have seen some of that preferential treatment go against our fellow classmates thanks to sixth-graders," Adyson said, "and that has to stop! I'm willing to do what needs to be done to bridge the equality gap!"

"Thanks, girls! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"You're welcome, Milly! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to mingle. Oh, and rub this victory in Izzy's face a little more. Ahem... **HA HA, IZZY, I BEAT YOU, I BEAT YOU!**"

The two future sixth-graders started to walk away.

"I don't mind," Isabella said, "but you just named me your adviser! First thing tomorrow morning, we're on the same side, got it?"

"I know, I know!"

Milly decided to mingle as well, although the number of fourth-graders at the party was outnumbered by the fifth-graders three-to-one. She came across the group that featured the four kids from recess on Wednesday who were the first to officially back her.

"Thanks so much, you guys!" she complimented them. "I assure you, I'll do everything in my power to keep my campaign promise!"

"Good to hear, Milly," said the first boy. "And don't worry about your promise! Me and the gang here have already put our plan in motion! We'll get our respect!"

"That's good. So, what's the plan?"

"Milly, Milly, this is your victory celebration! This is the time for you to be happy, not worry about the future! There'll be plenty of time for that in the days to come! When everything's in place, we'll tell you everything!"

Milly thought about it, and then flashed a big, bright smile.

"You're right! I have a year to fulfill my promise! Tonight, I'm just gonna par-tay! **YEAH!**"

With that, Milly scanned the area for Katie. When she located her, Milly ran off to talk to her.

_Little did I know that by **NOT** prodding into their plan, I was essentially dooming myself to impeachment._

_Wait... impeachment. Doesn't that get me a Saying a Word No One Else Knows in the Room patch?_

* * *

><p>Two weeks after the election...<p>

It was early in the morning as kids were putting their bags in their lockers. Milly was in the process of doing the same, when all of a sudden, Katie came running up to her.

"Milly! **MILLY!**"

"What's wrong, Katie?"

Katie produced a flyer and handed it to Milly. "Have you seen this?"

Milly quickly took a gander at it. It read 'Fourth Friday Fight! Rally against the future fifth-graders!' In addition, in small print at the bottom, were the words 'endorsed by fifth-grade president-elect Milly.'

"**WHAT? I DIDN'T ENDORSE THIS!**"

Suddenly, the four kids walked up, each with a balloon in hand. Their leader, the boy from earlier, stepped forward to explain.

"Yes you did, President Milly!"

"No, I didn't! Why would I ask for a rally at the start of a school day?"

"But it's the best time! It's Friday, those kids are already looking ahead to the three-day holiday weekend. It's time to strike!"

"Strike? With those?"

She pointed at the balloons, which upon closer examination, she realized had shaving cream in them.

"I didn't agree to this! The sixth-grade president-elect is a good friend of mine and a fellow Fireside Girl! We were going to solve the disparity through diplomacy and peace!"

"Many have tried peace in the past and failed! This year, we're not going to give them a chance to shoot us down!"

He pointed all around them. To Milly and Katie's surprise, many of their fellow classmates pulled balloons out of their bookbags as well. They were filled with water, grape juice, or other assorted liquids. The male ringleader turned to his fellow 'warriors' and declared the strike to be on.

"**FOR EQUALITY!**"

"**EQUALITY!**"

With that, the fourth-graders started charging down the hall, towards the fifth-grade lockers a few doors down. The attack began immediately, and within seconds screams of distraught could be heard as fifth-graders began getting pelted with balloons.

"I've got to do something!" shouted Milly. "Katie, text Addy and warn her!"

"What are you going to do?" asked Katie as she pulled out her cellphone from her backpack.

"I've got to stop this!"

Most fifth-graders scrambled for the nearest classroom, even if it was not their own, and those who could not either ran for the mid-hallway restroom, the stairs, or just ducked for cover behind their locker door. Teachers of both grade levels closed the doors to the room; some from the inside to protect their kids, and others from the outside before going off to stop the attacking fifth-graders, even taking a couple hits themselves.

Milly scrambled through the 'front line' in search of both the lead four and Adyson.

"**GET OUT OF HERE!**"

Hearing Adyson's voice, Milly turned toward the restrooms. Adyson was irate as she pushed a boy out of the girls' restroom.

"This was the closest place to hide!" the boy pleaded.

"From **WHAT**?" Adyson questioned, not yet aware of the situation.

Two girls ran through, pushing the boy back inside in the process. Adyson had no time to object, as she suddenly realized the chaos unfolding around her. Balloons were airborne, flying from her left to her right, hitting a number of her classmates.

Including Baljeet, who had just been hit by a balloon filled with whipped cream.

"And that goes my last clean pair," he muttered, in embarrassment.

The attacks quickly subsided, though, as once teachers started disarming kids, many of the others gave up and started fleeing back to the safety of their own classrooms. The adults had not gotten to the lead foursome, though, who each had a balloon in hand and were now surrounding Adyson.

"There she is!" the lead boy exclaimed, pointing her out. "FOR EQUALITY!"

They all threw their balloons simultaneously, in hopes of hitting Adyson in four different places at once.

"**NOOOOOOOOOOOO!**" cried Milly, running in from nowhere.

Milly shoved Adyson onto the floor, just the time to take the hits instead. The curly-haired girl was hit by all four balloons, which exploded on her and doused her with water, orange juice, grape juice, and pickle juice all at once. The four would-be attackers gasped in shock as Milly hit the ground face-first.

Adyson then felt a vibration in her blouse pocket. She reached in and saw Katie's warning text. It read 'Look out!'

"Oh... that just explains **EVERYTHING**!" she exclaimed, sarcastically.

The principal then appeared, via the mid-hallway stairway.

"**WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?**"

He looked first at Milly, then at the other fourth-graders, and finally, at the teachers who had tried to quell the riot.

No one wanted to give an immediate response, only because it was apparent no one was going to be able to simply explain it.

* * *

><p><em>The principal was not happy about what had happened, but because there were so many fourth-graders involved, he thought it would take too long to figure out who was responsible by interrogating everyone individually. So he just punished all of us by making every last fourth-grader stay after school that afternoon to clean the entire school building, from top to bottom.<em>

Milly and Katie were among a group of six charged with sweeping and mopping the hallway that connected the classroom wing to the other parts of the school. The kids they were with were not pleased to with doing grunt work even though they were among those who participated in the balloon assault, but they did so anyway.

The two Fireside Girls themselves were doing the mopping... well, Katie was, while Milly talked and pushed the yellow water bucket on wheels.

"What kind of class president am I?" Milly asked aloud. "I should've prodded more into their plan... and stopped them from the get-go!"

"Don't blame yourself," replied Katie, without turning away from her work. "You had no reason to suspect their bad intentions. 'Sides, I'm pretty sure monitoring what all your classmates do twenty-four-seven is **NOT **in your job description."

About a hundred feet away, the door to the main office opened, and the foursome responsible for leading the attack on the fifth-graders trotted out, all with their heads drooped low in shame. They immediately headed for the duo. Katie stopped mopping and frowned at them, while Milly flashed a look of disappointment.

The lead boy was about to open his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by the principal's voice emanating from the PA system.

"Attention, fourth-graders. Since the ringleaders of this morning's little stunt have come forward and confessed, you are all free to go home."

The other kids in the girls' group cheered, as they dropped their brooms and dustpans and immediately sprinted off towards their lockers.

"We're really sorry," apologized the leader of the group. "It's just... we're tired of the injustice in this school!"

Milly smiled as she took a step forward and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know... you four just went about getting justice the wrong way."

Katie propped the mop up against the wall, and then ran behind Milly. She opened the latter's backpack and, in a matter of moments, found what she was looking for. She passed it over-the-shoulder to Milly, who in turn handed it to the boy.

"This is the rough draft of the Upperclassmen Equality By-Law that I've been working hard on with Adyson," Milly explained. "We're planning to co-present it at the general Student Council meeting after school on Monday, and we have no doubt that, when put to a vote, it will be unanimously approved."

He started to read through the four-page document as his friends looked on from either side, also doing the same.

"This... this is pretty much everything we wanted!"

Milly nodded. "Yep! See? Us politicians can get the things done! It was just a matter of getting the right language down so that all parts of the new by-law are fair and just to everyone!"

"This is incredible! You're... you're the greatest class president ever!"

Milly began to blush.

"Well, heh... I don't know if I'd go that far."

The boy's friends then got the broom, the dustpan, and the mop, and picked up where the kids from before left off.

"So, by confessing," Milly thought out loud, "you four promised to clean the entire school?"

"Uh huh. And we all have detention every day for what's left of the school year. And he called each of our parents, who have to meet with him for us to avoid getting suspended. I think he kinda went a little easy on us, but still... we get what we deserve."

"Well, as much as I'm mad at you guys for doing what you did, I'm glad that in the end, you did the right thing and turned yourselves in. Thank you."

The boy nodded.

"Thanks, Milly. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got work to do."

With that, he walked off, to join his associates in their punishment.

_In the end, our principal ruled that I bore no responsibility for the actions of a misguided few, and therefore, I was free of punishment._

_But you're probably thinking, 'If that's true, Milly, then why are you not class president?' Well..._

Suddenly, Katie felt a vibration in the side of her backpack. She reached for that pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

"It's a text from Addy!"

Milly turned, wanting her friend to read it aloud to her.

"She says, 'Thanks for saving me from those rogue fourth-graders. Heard 'bout the punishment, though. Harsh!'"

Katie immediately started typing away at her phone to deliver a response. Before she could finish, though, her phone vibrated again.

"Oh, there's more."

Katie saved her draft, and then read aloud Adyson's second text.

"'Oh, and Gretch wanted me to warn you that the test results came back from all of those kids that got sick a couple weeks ago...'"

That was followed by a third text message...

"'Yeah, Milly's campaign cupcakes? Full of poison mushroom spores.'"

_Did I forget to mention that about a dozen or so kids haven't been to school since election day? Yeah..._

_Now you know why._

Milly grabbed Katie by the shirt and started shaking her violently.

"**WHADDYA MEAN EVERYONE GOT SICK OFF MY CUPCAKES? I THOUGHT WE HAD GOTTEN PAST THAT ALREADY?**"

"**AHEM!**"

Milly stopped Katie, who was pointing at someone standing behind her.

Principal Plum.

"So... heh heh... how much of that did you hear?"

* * *

><p>Back in the present, Adyson had given way to Milly's presidential replacement, who was now taking his turn to address his classmates.<p>

_So, I ended up getting in trouble for **THAT**. I agreed to, in order to avoid a giant scandal since I baked them in the school kitchen, to resign from the office of class president, effective immediately. And of course, that one incident, amongst many others, would eventually lead to Katie and I getting banned from all kitchens in the Tri-State Area until we turned 18. Which, in turn, we eventually would get rescinded by passing a Remedial Cooking Class... you remember that backstory, right?_

_Sigh... long backstory short, that's why I'm not on stage speaking right now._

_Now you know, Patrick... hope you don't think badly of me after this._

Milly listened to her replacement closely, with a smile of relief on her face.

_Oh, and if you're wondering about what happened to the Upperclassmen Equality By-Law that me and Adyson were working on..._

"...I am dedicated to fulfilling the lone campaign promise of my predecessor. Together with President Sweetwater, we will continue our support of the Upperclassmen Equality By-Law and will see to its enforcement, to ensure equal treatment not only between the fifth- and sixth-graders themselves, but from the faculty as well! I, President Buxley, swear on it!"

With that, all the students in the room gave him a standing ovation. Especially Milly, who was the happiest of all.

_Let's just say... one good thing came out of me being president._

**End Entry**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>Ah, there's never a dull moment with Milly, is there? But I think it's why I continue to like characterizing her this way... I can do crazy storylines with her, and it doesn't always have to result in her being nuts herself, opening up plenty of possibilities! You guys seem to still like them, too, so I gotta keep putting these kinds of entries out as well.<p>

Anyway, going forward, I'll be posting a sneak peek of each episode either the Thursday or Friday before the full episode goes up. I'll also still be doing the short teasers in these notes. Speaking of which, next week... Ginger intends to eliminate the biggest obstacle keeping her from spending time with Baljeet. Hmmm... I wonder what, or whom, that is!


	26. Bye Bye Buford

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

I know people often ask to see more shipping episodes. Well, here you go!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>The school bell rang at Danville Elementary, signaling the start of class.<p>

"Okay, settle down!" said Mr. Worth, a black-haired man in his late 30s who taught a certain class of sixth-graders. "As per usual, we will start the day with math."

Several audible groans could be heard coming from his students. Two students in the row closest to the window, in the first and third seats, respectively, were ecstatic to start every school day with their favorite subject. One of them was Baljeet...

"I love math!" he shouted exuberantly.

His celebration would have lasted longer, but it was stopped when he felt the person behind him reach into the back of his pants and give his underwear a good tug.

"**AHHHHHHH!**"

He turned around to face his tormentor... Buford.

"I thought we agreed? Not in class!"

"You're not the boss of me!"

As Baljeet and Buford had a small discussion about it, a few rows away sat Ginger, who was watching her crush instead of what Mr. Worth was writing on the blackboard.

_Entry #406 - Written by Ginger Hirano  
><em>

_If there's one thing I don't like about school, it's assigned seats. Teachers believe that it's easier to learn their students' names if they sit in alphabetical order by last name. Because of that, me and a certain cute boy I find attractive are always on opposite sides of the classroom!_

Ginger was sitting in the second row closest to the door, in the third seat. Sitting in front of her was Isabella, who already had a dreamy smile on her face. That was because sitting in front of her was Phineas, who was actually paying attention to the math lesson and was taking notes.

_Isabella's so lucky that she's sitting right behind Phineas! It seems that every year there's one or two people in the alphabet between the two of them. But this year, those guys ended up in the other classes._

"Isabella!" called out Mr. Worth.

"Huh?" Isabella snapped out of her dream at the sound of her name.

"If you have time to daydream, maybe you have time to fill in the blank!"

He pointed at a problem he had written on the board. It was 296 + _ + 106 = 743. Isabella got up out of her seat, a little embarrassed, to fill in the missing number.

_Huh. You think I'd be more likely to get in trouble since my crush's three rows away..._

She stole another glance over at Baljeet, who was now rubbing his backside in anguish.

* * *

><p>After school...<p>

Ginger spied on Buford and Baljeet from afar, hiding around the corner and behind a row of lockers. The two of them, who were also locker neighbors, were getting the books they needed to take home. But while Baljeet was trying to put his in his backpack, Buford was trying to whack Baljeet with his.

"Stop!" Baljeet cried.

But Buford continued, intent on hitting Baljeet even though he was going slowly enough for the Indian boy to dodge every attempt... which he did.

"Since it's so hard spending time with Baljeet in school," she thought to herself, "I have to find time to do so outside of it. To win Baljeet's heart, there's one big obstacle that stands in my way!"

She focused on her adversary, Buford.

"Commence 'Operation: Bye Bye Buford!'"

"Um," Isabella wondered, coming up behind Ginger, "who are you talking to?"

"Uh, it's called a monologue."

"Well, monologue some other time." Isabella grabbed Ginger by the arm and pulled her towards the exit. "We've got a Fireside Girls' meeting."

"Awwww..."

**-  
>Entry #406 [FSD304] - Bye Bye Buford (12.03.12)<br>-**

An hour later, inside the troop's secret forest clubhouse...

"Now that we've established that not all people who hold up cardboard signs that offer 'Free Hugs' have bad intentions," Isabella stated, "I hereby call this meeting adjourned!"

Isabella banged her gavel down on the podium to confirm her intention. The girls began to disperse, with Holly, Milly, and Katie immediately heading out. Ginger wanted to leave as well, but Gretchen stopped her.

"Before you go, Ginger, I just want to remind you that I'm still waiting for that entry about how you got your Golden Year Assistants Patch..."

"Oh, yeah, that! I'll get you that by the end of the week..."

_Spoiler alert, I still haven't done it. I'm so getting in trouble for that._

"...but I'm kinda working on another entry."

Gretchen perked up. "Ooh! On what?"

"Baljeet!" Ginger replied, in a high-pitched squeal.

Isabella decided to interject.

"No offense, Ginger, but not counting your contribution to the huge Jamboree entry, your last five entries have been about Baljeet!"

"Uh, no offense, Isabella, but if you're allowed to gab on and on about your boyfriend every week..."

Isabella blushed a bright red.

"**HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND... **yet. But I see your point. I'll let it slide this time..."

Ginger unexpectedly gave Isabella a hug.

"Thank you, **THANK YOU! **'Operation: Bye Bye Buford!' is back in full swing!"

With that, Ginger sprinted out of the clubhouse.

"You know," Isabella thought out loud, "I should also talk to Ginger about having to make all of her entries 'operations'..."

"Let it go, Chief."

* * *

><p>Baljeet and Buford were walking side-by-side downtown, heading for the convenience store. Ginger was following them from a distance, hiding behind lamp posts, benches, and trash cans every time one of them looked back in her direction. Eventually, they reached their destination. Ginger stood near the door, but held up on going in, at least until the two boys were far enough inside to not see her enter. In the meantime, she reached into her backpack to pull out a book titled 'Breaking Up a Bromance.' She scanned the first few pages as ideas started coming to her.<p>

_Step One: Before you attempt to break up two people, one of which you hope to have a future with someday, you must first do your research! Find things that they disagree on, so that you can exploit it for your own personal gain!_

Ginger went inside. It did not take her long to find the boys, who were browsing the school supply shelves.

"I cannot believe you did not see it fit to buy pencils beforehand! Now all they have left is Number Four pencils!"

"Eh... I usually get what I need from nerds. Speaking of which... **YOINK!**"

He snatched the pencil Baljeet had behind his left earlobe.

"**HEY! **You cannot take Shirley!"

"Shirley? You name these things?"

"I have a life outside of you!"

Ginger, observing from around the corner, took out a notepad and a pen, and wrote on it.

* * *

><p>The two boys made three other stops that afternoon, and Ginger followed them all the way. They went to the candy store...<p>

"If you buy that much, Buford, you will rot your teeth in no time."

Baljeet was referring to the large plastic bag of gumballs Buford was holding.

"They can be replaced. Perhaps you'd like to make an offering?"

As Baljeet motioned to pass on it, Ginger was seen taking note of it.

* * *

><p>Stop number three was the bookstore, where Baljeet was buying 'Annette Drake and the Grim Meadows.'<p>

"Finally! I will get to see if Annette chooses Michael or Montgomery."

"Neither. One dies and one gets with Ryan."

Baljeet glared at Buford.

"What? It's not like I told you that Annette ends up dropping out a week before graduation!"

Baljeet frowned as he put the book back on the shelf.

"I guess I will just wait for the eventual movie... you cannot spoil that yet since it does not come out until December!"

Again, Ginger was seen taking notes.

* * *

><p>Lastly, the boys stopped by a '50s-style malt shop, where the two of them shared a vanilla milkshake.<p>

"I had enough money for two shakes," Baljeet said.

"Yeah," Buford said in return, "but I'm watchin' my weight."

Three tables over, Ginger was once more making a note as she watched them and took a sip from her cherry milkshake, one half the size of the boys. But this time, though, she had someone with her... her older sister, Stacy.

"When I said we should spend more time together," she grumbled, "this wasn't what I meant."

"Shhh!" Ginger hushed her. "I'm trying to read their lips!"

Stacy rolled her eyes, and then whipped out her cell phone, intending to text to pass the time.

* * *

><p>The next morning, the entire troop walked up the stairs at school together. Isabella and Gretchen were chatting with each other, as were Adyson and Holly, as well as Milly and Katie. Ginger was staying silent, running her plan through her head. As soon as Milly and Katie dropped from the group to go to their lockers, Ginger spotted Baljeet and Buford up ahead, opening theirs.<p>

_Step Two: Use what you've learned to drive a wedge between your competition and your crush. Hold nothing back!_

Ginger peeled off from the group without their knowledge, allowing her to walk over to the boys.

"...so you're tellin' me I have a choice?" questioned Buford.

"Yes," replied Baljeet, "though they have stringent entrance requirements..."

"Hi, Baljeet!" greeted Ginger cheerfully. She then looked at Buford to greet him, in a more sour tone. "Hi, chopped liver."

"Ooh, my favorite kind of liver!"

Ginger whipped out an unopened ten-pack of number two pencils. Baljeet's face brightened up.

"Ginger! Are... are those for..."

Before he could finish, Ginger handed the pack to Buford.

"There. You can't harass Baljeet for pencils anymore. You can have these. Oh, and if you ever need any more, I'm friends with the boy in charge of the school store this year. He's giving me a discount."

Buford seemed confused, but he took the pencils anyway.

"Uh, thanks?"

Baljeet had a similar reaction, but for a different reason. "Ginger, what are you doing?"

"Nothing!" Ginger exclaimed. "Just trying to help some friends out!"

Ginger then reached into her backpack and pulled out, in order, a tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, a book entitled 'The Starvation Trials,' and a gift card for the malt shop. She then gave them all to Buford, who could only come to one conclusion.

"If you think this absolves you for getting me something for Christmas, then think again!"

"It's nothing like that," Ginger explained. "Why should you spend so much time with Baljeet when I can give you everything you need?"

The boys looked at each other, unsure of how to react. Buford leaned over to Baljeet and whispered something to him.

"I think it's that time when she has that thing."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me. I know these things."

Buford threw the 'gifts' in his locker, closed it, and then headed off to class. Baljeet looked oddly at Ginger before doing the same.

"You're welcome!" Ginger shouted after Baljeet.

Once they were out of earshot, Ginger began to think...

"That looked like it worked, but there's still more to do for this mission to be a success..."

* * *

><p><em>Step Three: A good way to send a relationship on the road to ruin is to plant a seed of mistrust.<em>

While in class, Ginger had scribbled out a note. It read 'Meet me at the jungle gym after school. I have a surprise that'll knock you out.' Ginger folded up the note twice, and then passed it to another student. It eventually reached its destination... Buford. Ginger smiled, knowing that things were going along as planned.

* * *

><p>...or were they?<p>

"So, someone said they wanted to get knocked out?" questioned Buford, who had on pair of boxing gloves.

"N-n-not exactly," said Ginger.

Ginger handed Buford a photo that had clearly been doctored. It was originally a photo of Buford giving Baljeet a wedgie. But it had been changed so that Irving's head had been digitally pasted over Buford's.

"Unbelievable."

Buford started to walk away.

"Wait!" Ginger cried out. "Don't you... wanna do something about Irving?"

"Why? Me beating him up won't cure his desperation of wanting to be accepted."

Buford left.

"That was not the reaction I was expecting. Well, I suppose it is a bit too late to be planting seeds. Time for extreme measures!"

* * *

><p><em>There's more to the plan, but some of you might be impatient. Therefore... ahem...<em>

_Final Step: If all else fails, step in and break the relationship with your own two hands!_

Baljeet and Buford were walking towards City Hall. One block to the east of it stood Ginger, who was in disguise. She had on a pair of glasses with thick lenses and was wearing a plain teal-colored sweater and two-sizes-too-big pants that were being held up by brown-colored suspenders. She also had applied a temporary tattoo on her right cheek, which was one of a set of real-looking freckles.

"This is perfect!" Ginger said aloud. "All Buford has to do is take one look at me and he'll dump Baljeet in a heartbeat! He'll start picking on me, leaving me free to spend as much time to spend with Baljeet as I want. You know, after Buford gives me wedgies and wet willies and takes my lunch money every day..."

Ginger stopped for a minute to contemplate what she had just said.

"On second thought, maybe I should've thought this through more..."

But it was too late, as the boys were crossing the street at that very moment. Ginger leaned towards a nearby pole to prop herself up with, but her hand just slipped off, causing her to go down as well.

"I meant to do that," she told herself.

As she got to her feet, the boys had stopped in front of her.

"Hello!" greeted Baljeet, in a friendly tone. "I do not believe that we have had the pleasure of meeting before."

"What you talkin' 'bout?" grumbled Buford. "That's Ginger!"

Baljeet took a second look at her, and did a double take.

"**AAH! **What happened to you?"

"Do you like?" Ginger said, posing for her crush. "I have embraced my inner geekiness!"

"I did not know you had any geekiness to begin with. That is, except when it comes to math. Or Fireside Girls."

Buford, though, looked unimpressed. "I don't believe ya."

Ginger coughed, then recited a formula she committed to memory in case she needed to convince Buford that she was a bigger nerd than Baljeet.

"E equals mc^2, where E is energy, m is the mass of the object in question, and c is the speed of light!"

Buford turned to Baljeet to see if what Ginger was saying was true.

"That is true!"

"I should also add that the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second, approximately!"

Buford gasped. "She used the non-metric value! Oh, she's got you out-geeked!"

But Baljeet just rolled his eyes. "I do not have time for this. I made a promise that I must fulfill!"

With that, Baljeet walked past Ginger and continued on his way to City Hall. Buford tried to follow, but Ginger stepped into his path to block him.

"Alright, what's the big deal?"

"You said that I'm geekier than Baljeet, right? So that means you have to pick on me!"

"Nah. I don't do girls. Bully Code and all."

"Not even if I do this?"

She lifted her right foot up and slammed it down hard on Buford's left one. She looked up, expecting Buford to be screaming in pain and anger. But Buford did not seem to be phased at all.

"Was I supposed to be feeling something?"

Ginger threw her hands up in frustration.

"**UGH! **I give up..."

She threw off her glasses and trotted over to a nearby bench, which she sat down on and began to sulk. Buford thought ahead to Baljeet, who was crossing the last street before City Hall, but instead of catching up with him, he instead decided to take a seat next to Ginger to talk with her.

"Not that it's any of my business, but perhaps you'd tell me what this is about?"

Ginger wiped a tear from her eye with the back of her hand, and then answered.

"I... I wanna hang out with Baljeet. And by hang out, I mean just the two of us. Instead of me, him, and you, which is three people. And three's a crowd."

Buford laughed. "Is that all?"

Ginger frowned. "That's not funny!"

"It is! For a minute there, I thought you were trying to spend more time with me!"

"What, you, **EEW**, no way!"

"Good! 'Cause I'd deny it if that's what you wanted! I've got a rep to protect, after all."

"So, you're okay with me wanting to be with Baljeet? Just the two of us?"

"I'm indifferent about it."

Buford reached into his pocket and pulled out an index card with a bunch of times on it.

"These are the times Baljeet and I agree to be apart. Y'know, besides bedtime and all that, obviously."

"You're telling me about this? Thanks, Buford!"

Ginger glanced at the list of times and saw that one of the blocks was about to start in a few minutes.

"Ooh, one of them's about to start now!"

"Hold on there," Buford said as Ginger jumped up from the bench. "You can't be alone with him now."

"But you said these times..."

"...are when Baljeet and I agree **NOT **to be together. It doesn't mean someone else can't. Besides, he's off to do something boring for Student Council."

Ginger thought for a second before recalling something someone had told her a few days ago.

"Right. Adyson has that campaign promise she's taking care of. She must have Baljeet helping her."

"So, you want to interfere?"

Ginger shrugged her shoulders.

"Nah. It's business. Besides, Adyson doesn't have any feelings for Baljeet. I'm sure of it!"

Buford got up, and the two of them started walking away from the City Hall, back towards the suburbs.

_Okay, so I didn't exactly break up Buford and Baljeet, but at least I know when the two of them are apart. And I consider that a victory! I'm now one step closer to professing my love for Baljeet._

_But now I have another problem. When's the perfect time to spend with him? And once we're together, what I do say to him?_

_I guess I can save that for my next entry. Ginger is out, peace!_

Buford had one last question for Ginger before he could close the book on these last few days...

"So, just to be clear..."

Anticipating the question, Ginger had a simple response.

"**EEW, EEW, AND DOUBLE EEW!**"

"Just testing..."

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So, those of you who recall Ginger's entry from last season probably recognized that this entry used the same format as that one did. I just find it interesting that Ginger's giving romantic advice even though she hasn't successfully won her crush over yet. But, hey, sometimes the best way to see if the advice works is to test it yourself!<p>

Also, for some reason Ginger has had the fourth episode production-wise in every season of this series so far. Unintended coincidence, I swear!

Next week is the two-part holiday special! It also happens to be Isabella's dedicated solo entry for the season. So you can probably guess what the special is about, right? See you in seven days!


	27. Chanukah, Part 1

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

There aren't very many Jewish characters on TV, particularly in animation. This is also why very few shows do a special episode dedicated to the holiday known as Chanukah. Maybe at some point they won't be as rare, particularly if Dan and Swampy decide to do that proposed "Fireside Girls" spin-off. But since that hasn't come to fruition yet, allow me to present the first "Fireside Diaries" holiday special, centering on Chanukah!

Before I begin, I'd like to state that I am not Jewish. I did my research and present the traditions as they were meant to be celebrated, with one small exception, so please don't bite my head off if I misspelled a Hebrew word or something. This is done with the utmost respect, and I hope all of you will do the same.

That being said... sit back and enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #189 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_When December rolls around, all of my friends start counting down the days to Christmas. They love decorating the tree, singing carols, and writing a wish list for Santa Claus. That's all well and good, but for me, there's another holiday that I'm more excited about._

"Isa!" shouted Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro from the kitchen. "It's time!"

"Coming, Mom!"

Isabella excitedly ran down the stairs. She picked up a lighter from the counter and then joined her mother in front of a menorah that had been set up. Two candles were already in place and ready to go - one in the center and one in the position furthest to the right. Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro began reciting a blessing.

"Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, asher qiddeshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu lehadliq ner shel Chanukah."

_That holiday is Chanukah. Or Hanukkah, whichever you prefer._

Once she was finished, she turned to her daughter.

"Ready to light the menorah?"

Isabella nodded. She turned on the lighter and used it to light the middle candle, or shamash. As was tradition, Isabella then used that freshly-lit candle to then light the other one, as was tradition. Once she was finished, she looked back over her shoulder at her mom, who smiled back.

_Chanukah, also often referred to as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday that last eight days and eight nights._

* * *

><p><em>Each night, at sunset, we light the menorah! With each new night, a new candle is lit to signify the number of days that have passed so far.<em>

Isabella was shown lighting two candles on the second night, three on the third, etc., making sure to light the most recently-placed one first and working backwards.

_Each night I also get a present, totaling eight and all! Not that getting presents is what Chanukah is about, but... it's a nice little extra..._

Isabella was seen being given a different present every night, ranging from chocolate gelt to a hand-knit sweater with a dreidel on it.

_But as fun as Chanukah can be, sometimes I feel as if it's the loneliest holiday ever. You know, like I'm throwing a party but nobody shows up._

* * *

><p><em>So this year, I decided to invite my friends to celebrate with me!<em>

It was the eighth and final day of Chanukah, and Isabella was leading her troop to the Danville Community Center.

"Thanks for volunteering to help set up the Chanukah Community Celebration, girls!"

"No problem, Chief!" Gretchen said. "We're just glad you invited us to celebrate with you this year."

"Trust me. You girls won't regret this!"

Isabella led them to the set of double doors leading inside. The girls' eyes lit up in anticipation as their leader prepared to pull them open.

"Girls... this is Chanukah!"

She pulled the doors open, and a bright light nearly blinded the girls...

**-  
>Entry #189-1 [FSD301] - Chanukah, Part 1 (12.10.12)<br>-**

The Fireside Girls shielded their eyes with their arms until the light faded. Once it did, though, they were greeted by the sight of a large, mechanical menorah. Of course, it was constructed by none other than Phineas and Ferb, who were standing next to it.

"Hi, Phineas!" greeted Isabella, as she stepped towards him. "So... whatcha doin'?"

"Making this giant menorah!"

"Ooh! What does it do? Is there a built-in laser show? Or does it spin 'round and 'round?"

The boys looked at each other, confused. Phineas then turned to Isabella to give his answer.

"Um, it's just a menorah. That lights up."

He pointed at his stepbrother, who pulled out a one-button remote. Pressing the button, the mechanical menorah lit up... except for the small bulbs representing the flames of the candles.

"No actual lighting until sunset, of course."

"Whoa..." gasped all the girls, in astonishment.

"That's great, Phineas!" squealed Isabella.

"If you think that's cool, wait until you see what we have planned for later!"

* * *

><p>Behind the community center, Buford and Baljeet had already started on the 'later' idea, which was covered by a big, blue sheet. Buford was atop a ladder, dumping a cylindrical can's contents into the bigger end of a funnel, with the smaller end connected to a tube that went under the sheet.<p>

"There we go!"

He climbed back down, and once back on the ground, he was greeted by a displeased Baljeet, who was holding a new can.

"Buford! You were supposed to get raisins! Not... these!"

He spun the can around so that the label was visible. It turned out that Buford had not bought raisins, but chocolate-covered ants instead.

Buford, though, did not see it as a problem.

"Meh... they taste the same anyway."

Suddenly, the ants, which were actually alive, started crawling out of the can and onto Baljeet. By the time he realized it, there were dozens and dozens of them on him.

"**AIYEEEE! ANTS! ANTS!**"

Baljeet started running to and fro, hoping he could shake them off. Buford just stood there and watched.

"**BUFORD! I'VE GOT ANTS IN MY PANTS! HELP ME!**"

"Nah, I'm good."

"**AAAAAAAHHHHH!**" screamed the Indian boy as he ran by Buford once more.

* * *

><p>Back inside...<p>

"Thanks for inviting us, by the way," Phineas told Isabella. "What kind of friends would we be if we didn't celebrate **ALL**of our friends' traditions?"

Isabella blushed. "Thanks! You know, later we could..."

Suddenly, they heard Baljeet screaming for his life outside.

"Yeah, we better check on that. C'mon, Ferb!"

The boys ran off to see what was up. Isabella sighed.

"One of these days," Isabella swore to herself.

She reluctantly decided to show the girls around, while explaining the holiday to them.

"So what you're saying, Chief, is that Chanukah is the celebration of the rededication of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem following a revolt by that city's people against their tyrannical Seleucid Empire?"

"Wow, Gretchen, you catch on quick!"

"And what about the candles?" questioned Ginger.

"Well, back at the time, the Jewish city folk wanted to light a menorah to signify their liberation. The problem was that they barely had enough oil to keep it burning for just one day, and it took eight days to prepare a fresh supply. But by some miracle, the menorah stayed lit exactly eight days and nights. That miracle is why we celebrate Chanukah!"

"Ohhhhhh..." the girls said in unison.

"Isa!"

"**MOM!**"

Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro walked up, with a bowl full of latke batter in one arm and a ladle in the other. Pinky the Chihuahua was with them, and he barked with glee as ran up to Isabella and ran circles around her.

"Hi, Pinky!"

She kneeled down to pick Pinky off the floor, and Isabella cradled him in her arms, he began to shake, as he normally did when stationary.

"We're ready to help set up the kids' play area! And to make sufganiyot!"

"Before you do, Isa, I need you girls to do a favor."

"Yes?"

"It turns out there was a mix-up. We were expecting a giant delivery of flour today, but the shipping company went on strike this morning and all of the drivers walked off... long story short, Isa, we've already used what little we had on hand and..."

"...flour run? Gotcha, Mom!"

"Say," Holly piped up, "we can give Pinky a walk while we're at it!"

"Great idea, Holly!"

Isabella looked down to see if Pinky agreed, but he was no longer there.

"Hey, where's Pinky?"

Pinky the Chihuahua had sneaked away from Isabella. After ensuring that no one was looking his way, he put his fedora on and then headed out of the community center via the doggy door installed in the exit door by the kitchen. Outside, he ran past the boys, who were trying to get the oddly alive chocolate-covered ants off of Baljeet...

"**ANTS IN MY PANTS!**"

"Baljeet, we can't get them off if you don't stand still!" Phineas shouted after him.

...and to a sandbox. He jumped into the center and disappeared into the sand. Strangely, once Pinky was completely in, a four-year old girl popped out.

"There you are, Serena!"

Her two elated parents ran up and picked her up.

"I told you the sandbox was dangerous!" snapped the mother.

"She was only in there for, like, three minutes," shouted the father in response.

* * *

><p>Pinky dropped out of a pipe and landed in a swivel chair in his lair. The monitor in front of him was already on, as Admiral Acronym was present and ready to give him a mission briefing.<p>

"I would say good afternoon, Agent Pinky," she began, "but there's no time for pleasantries! Professor Poofenplotz has taken it upon herself to buy all of the flour in the Tri-State Area! Well, not all of it, but she very may have well cleaned out close to every mom-and-pop shop and supplier by this point! We're not sure where she got the money, but regardless, this is a ghastly situation! Without flour, bake good production will come to a most unjoyous end, which is anything but smashing given it's the last day of Chanukah! Oh, do I adore sufganiyot."

"Arf!" barked Pinky.

"Oh, yes! Find out what she's up to, and end her flour-purchasing ways!"

Pinky saluted in confirmation, and then bolted for the exit.

* * *

><p>Isabella and the Fireside Girls ran into the nearest supermarket and immediately headed for the flour aisle. But upon arriving there...<p>

"The entire flour section is barren!" exclaimed Gretchen.

"Even those bags of salt mislabeled as flour are gone!" pointed out Adyson.

Isabella caught sight of a stocker walking by, and waved him over for assistance.

"Excuse me, but do you have any more flour?"

"'Fraid not," the young man replied. "Some woman came in earlier today and bought it all."

"Do you know why?"

"No, and I don't care. Now, if you'll excuse me, these bags of dog food aren't gonna stock themselves."

He went back to his cart full of different brands of dog food, and resumed pushing it towards the pet supplies aisle.

"We need to find flour," Isabella told the girls. "Gretchen?"

"Already on it!" the glasses-wearing girl replied, logging onto the map app on her cell phone. "Okay, there are three other grocery stores within a five-block radius, as well as a Jewish bakery."

"Let's split up, girls!"

The troop headed out of the building and split up. Milly and Katie ran off one way, Holly and Ginger a second, Gretchen and Adyson a third, and Isabella went off alone to the bakery.

* * *

><p><em>Poofenplotz Evil is Crazy!<em>

_I... have no idea why I just sang that._

Pinky the Chihuahua had arrived at his arch nemesis' front door. To his surprise, she had installed a doggy door since the last time he saw her. Believing it to be a trap, he instead climbed up the side of the building and entered through a nearby open window. Once inside, though, he landed on a piece of parchment paper covered in honey.

He struggled for a few seconds to free himself, but then Professor Poofenplotz walked out, wearing an apron over her clothes.

"**PINKY THE CHIHUAHUA! **Still trying to stop me from taking over the world?"

Pinky responded by shivering.

"Too bad! This plan is foolproof... and puppy-proof!"

She explained her plan as she started to walk back across the room.

"After rising from a night of beauty sleep, I found myself having an insatiable craving for donuts! Which is kind of odd, since I don't have a fondness for them and I'm watching my figure... **BUT NEVERTHELESS! **I did not want to shame myself by walking into a donut shop; so instead, I've been buying flour by the truckload! You see, Pinky, when I bake, I bake! So I could not just make a half-dozen or even a full dozen! I have to make dozens upon dozens of donuts!"

She pointed out tray upon tray of freshly-baked donuts, stacked one on top of another and in rows of four.

"Upon doing so, I've come to realize that there was no way I could consume these delectable, yet devilish treats before they all went bad! So I have decided to donate them all to the wonderful people of Danville. And by donate, I mean smushing all of the little donuts together to make one humongous, forty-story tall donut that will flatten the city! All of this just to show the Tri-State Area that donuts are nothing to be trifled with!"

Pinky growled as he tried to break free his honey-glazed paws from the sticky parchment paper. But no matter what he did, Pinky could not get himself unstuck.

"Arf arf!" he barked.

"Oh, really, you didn't see it?"

She pointed out the window of the spherical-shaped room and just ahead, in plain sight, there was the gigantic donut. It was already more than twenty stories high, and it was still growing, as more and more donuts were being injected into the larger one by the dozen! A number of chefs, who had been called in to do the baking, were also responsible for bringing them out so they could be implanted.

"You thought I baked all those by myself in a matter of hours? Pish posh! I hired some cheap labor! And by cheap, I mean culinary student interns!"

* * *

><p>On the ground floor, one of the interns was being reprimanded by another, more experienced one.<p>

"You call these donuts? **WHERE ARE THE HOLES?**"

"I didn't know donuts had holes! I didn't even know what a donut was until an hour ago!"

* * *

><p>"As for the flour, let's just say I made some good deals..."<p>

Professor Poofenplotz pulled out a bunch of coupons and spread them like a hand of cards with just a flick of her wrist. Pinky gave her an odd look.

"Don't give me that! If stores didn't want to deal with double and triple coupons, they shouldn't have allowed them to exist! Now, if you'll excuse me, the last few trucks of flour are due to arrive any moment! I must make sure that they're soft and moldable!"

As she walked out of the room, Pinky again made an attempt to extricate himself from the trap.

* * *

><p>Isabella walked out of the Jewish bakery with her cell phone in hand.<p>

"Fireside Girls, report!"

* * *

><p>Inside Super Food Stuff Mart...<p>

"All out, Chief!" stated Gretchen.

* * *

><p>Over at Apple's Grocers...<p>

"Nothing here either," reported Ginger.

* * *

><p>And at the third place...<p>

Milly and Katie were huddled around the former's cell phone, looking a little scared as they stood behind a podium.

"I don't think this is a real grocery store," mumbled Milly.

"**ACTION!**" shouted a man from off to the side.

Music started playing in the background. A booming voice came out of the loudspeaker.

"It's time to play 'Supermarket Sweep!'"

* * *

><p>"No go either, huh?" Isabella asked. "Oh, and if you girls win, you're giving all of us a cut!"<p>

With that, Isabella dropped Milly from the call, leaving her connected to Gretchen and Ginger.

"We're out of places we can get to easily on foot," Isabella thought aloud. "We've got to get mobile if we have any hope of finding some flour!"

"But what happens if everyone ends up out, Chief?" questioned Gretchen. "You know how Danville is very susceptible to that!"

Isabella sighed. "I guess we should head back. It's not the end of the world if we don't have any flour to make sufganiyot."

"Aww," whined Ginger. "But sufganiyot is good!"

"Ginger, do you even know what sufganiyot is?"

"If you say it's something that has brussel sprouts in it..."

Suddenly, Isabella heard a scream off in the distance.

"That sounds like..."

Isabella took off running, heading back towards the Community Center...

* * *

><p>As she headed back, she could seem a smoke cloud billowing from a nearby building. Soon enough, she saw the structure in question... it was the Community Center. Her mouth nearly fell off as she approaching the building. The fire department was already on the scene, attempting to get the blaze under control, and, thankfully, all of Isabella's family and friends, as well as all of the other volunteers, had gotten out safely.<p>

"**OMG!**" shouted Isabella. "Mom, what happened?"

Her mom turned towards her to deliver the bad news, as Phineas and the boys sadly looked on.

"We're not sure, Isa. A fire started in the kitchen without warning, and before we knew it, it was out of control. I'm sorry... but we're going to have to cancel Chanukah."

Isabella's face turned a ghastly white in shock.

**To be continued...**


	28. Chanukah, Part 2

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

You thought I was going to leave you hanging for a week, didn't you?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney. Songs used are property of the respective owners and such, except when noted as parody.

* * *

><p><em>And now... the conclusion of this entry of the "Fireside Diaries"...<em>

As firefighters fought to keep the Danville Community Center from completely burning down to the ground, Isabella was just trying to process what was going on.

"This... this can't be happening! **NO!**"

Gretchen, Adyson, Holly, and Ginger arrived on the scene simultaneously, and they too were in shock after seeing the burning building. But then they turned their attention to Isabella, who had just dropped to her knees and was on the verge of crying. They all ran to her side to comfort her, embracing her in a group hug.

"Isabella!" they all cried out.

"Girls! I... just wanted to show you what Chanukah was all about! And now... and now..."

She was beginning to struggle to speak clearly, as grief was starting to set in.

"...it's... it's all gone! **IT'S ALL GONE!**"

Gretchen grabbed her friend's head with the palm of her hands and turned the black-haired girl in her direction.

"Chief... what's all gone?"

* * *

><p>"Chief? <strong>CHIEF!<strong>"

Isabella snapped back to reality upon hearing Gretchen's voice. Gretchen was standing before her, looking up at her with a worried look on her face.

"Are you okay, Chief? You were screaming as if something had happened to the Community Center!"

Isabella gasped upon hearing those words. "The Community Center?"

She was about to freak out again when Gretchen calmly pointed Adyson talking on her cell phone. Upon noticing that Isabella was looking her way, the taller brunette flashed a smile and gave her a thumbs up. She finished her conversation and then hung up.

"Everything's going smoothly," Adyson told the pair as she walked over to them. "Your mom's still waiting on that flour, though. I told Phineas we're still working on that."

"So the Community Center's not burning down? Whew, that's a relief!"

Adyson looked at Gretchen for clarification. The shorter brunette summed it up quickly, telling her in a whispered voice.

"If you're done freaking, Isabella..."

"I wasn't freaking, Adyson..."

Isabella was denying it even though she clearly had been in a panicked dream.

"...what **ARE **we going to do about the flour situation?"

Isabella thought for a minute. Nothing seemed to be coming to mind... until a transit bus drove past the trio. The advertising banner on the side was promoting free tours of the local Fireside Cupcake Factory this week.

"**THAT'S IT!**"

_And suddenly, I, uh, I mean, we got a huge break!_

**-  
>Entry #189-2 [FSD302] - Chanukah, Part 2 (12.10.12)<br>-**

A few minutes later, Isabella was talking on the phone with the sales manager at the Fireside Cupcake Factory, who thankfully had not yet gone home for the day considering it was already beginning to get dark. Once she was finished, she happily spun around to face her troop, all reunited once more in front of a bus stop.

"It was age discrimination!" Katie exclaimed, after relaying what had happened to the other girls. "They kicked us out because we were both under 18!"

"It's just a game show," Milly told her, apparently not offended about being ejected as her friend. "'Sides, who do you think would've ended up doing all the physical work?"

"Good news and bad news, girls," said Isabella, interrupting the conversation. "The good news is that the Cupcake Factory has flour **AND **is willing to donate half-a-dozen bags. After all, we're the troop that provides them with more than half of their annual production order!"

"What's the bad news?" asked Holly.

"All of their delivery drivers are either on out-of-town routes or have already gone home for the day. That means we'll have to go to the factory and pick up the flour ourselves."

That did not sound good to them, and they quickly voiced their complaints.

"Come on!"

"Awww..."

"No way!"

"Unbelievable."

"So far..."

"Ugh..."

But Isabella was not going to let them back out.

"Girls! We can do this! It's not that bad... we'll ride the bus there, get the flour, and then ride the bus back to the Community Center!"

Ginger raised her hand to ask a question. Isabella acknowledged her.

"Why can't we just get Phineas and Ferb and Baljeet to build us a flour-making machine?"

"Because they already have a big project to work on..."

* * *

><p>The boys were seen sitting on the grass behind the Community Center, enjoying unwrapping some gelt and eating it, while their unfinished project sat behind them, still covered by a tarp.<p>

"These are delicious and all," Phineas finally spoke up, as he pointed at the tarp, "but we really have to finish these before sundown."

* * *

><p>"...besides, our job is to get flour, and that's exactly what we're going to do!"<p>

Isabella then caught sight of the bus they needed to get on, but it was going slowly because the afternoon rush was in full swing, and it would be a few minutes before it could pull off into the loading area.

"Then again..."

She quickly changed the plan.

"Adyson, Holly, Milly, and Katie... you four head back to the Community Center. Help Phineas and Ferb finish whatever they're working on, and then see if you can get them to build a flour-maker, just in case. Gretchen and Ginger, you're with me!"

"But you said..."

"Yes, Ginger, I know what I said! But desperate times call for desperate measures!"

With that, Adyson's group ran off, while Isabella's team waited for the bus.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at Professor Poofenplotz's place, the skyscraper-high donut was getting closer to approaching its desired height. She was at ground level, inspecting the last few batches of donuts prior to them being placed in the oven.<p>

"Good, good, good, go-wait a minute!"

She came across a tray of uncooked donuts placed next to a bag of flour. Only it was not flour, as the label was peeling off to reveal that it was actually salt. She held it up for all of the culinary students to see.

"Really? You're all culinary students and you didn't realize you were using salt and not flour? If any of you graduate, remind me to blacklist any restaurant that employs any of you donkeys!"

She tossed the bag into a nearby trash can, as well as the salted donuts. The students then grabbed the remaining good trays of donuts and rushed them into the oven.

"Well, at least you all have initiative when properly motivated. Now, as for the gigantic donut."

She gave the monstrosity the once-over, starting at the bottom and letting her eyes lift skyward. But near the top, she saw something unsightly lodged into the doughy treat. Part of it was inside of the donut and not visible, but she was still able to tell what it was with what parts were sticking out.

"A grappling hook?"

She followed the connecting rope and spotted a certain fedora-wearing puppy climbing paw over paw from the building's balcony.

"Pinky the Chihuahua? Oh, not this time."

She ran in to get something to stop her nemesis.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Isabella's team had arrived at the Fireside Cupcake Factory. Inside, each of the girls was given two five-pound bags of flour, each in a plastic bag.<p>

"Thanks!" Isabella said to the sales manager.

"You betcha!" she replied in return. "Keep selling those cupcakes, girls!"

The trio made their way out and towards the bridge, needing to cross the river to get back to the mainland and to the bus stop where they had been dropped off. Isabella and Ginger were having no problems carrying their bags. Gretchen, though, was visibly struggling. She was managing to keep from dragging them on the ground, however.

"All we have to do..." huffed Isabella, "is get back... to the Community Center..."

They were only about halfway across when, to Isabella's horror, she saw a bus pull up to the stop on the other side.

"Oh no! The bus! **WAIIIIIIT! WE NEED TO GET ON!**"

Of course, they were too far away for the driver to notice them, and even if he did, he could not wait, since in that part of town and that time of day, buses were running as much 15 minutes behind schedule. He pulled away from the stop.

A minute later, Isabella and Ginger finally got to the stop. Ginger immediately fell onto the bench to catch her breath, while Isabella put her bags down and went over to the bus schedule posted on the nearby glass canopy.

"The next bus we can take, even if it's on time, won't arrive for another 32 minutes!"

Ginger lifted her head up from the bench and glanced over her shoulder to look at the sun and where it was in the sky.

"It'll be dark by then!" Isabella shouted. "This isn't good! I'm supposed to be lighting the menorah at sundown! You don't know what I had to do to earn that honor, Ginger!"

She grabbed Ginger by the shirt and pulled her up until they were eye-to-eye. She then started shaking the Asian girl.

"Do you know what will happen if I'm not there to light the menorah? Everyone in the Jewish community will think I can't be trusted! Do you know what it's like to not be trusted? **DO YOU?**"

"Uh, no, but you're gonna tell me it's the worst thing ever?"

"**IT'S THE WORST THING EVER!**"

Isabella let go of Ginger, letting her drop back onto the bench. Ginger sat up, rubbing her chin, which was the part of her that end up taking the brunt of the landing, as she tried to calm her down.

"You can't be serious. Even worse than Phineas admitting he's in love with some girl **OTHER **than you?"

Isabella let out a horrifying screech, which nearly frightened Ginger out of her uniform.

"Yeesh. I just remembered why we let Adyson do all of the joking romantic jabs."

Seeing that she had scared her friend, though, was enough to get Isabella to calm down. As she got control of her senses, a very exhausted Gretchen finally caught up to them. She tried to fall on the bench, to relax. In her attempt to land face-up, though, she spun a bit much and ended up missing the bench completely, coming to rest on the sidewalk instead.

"Ow..." she mumbled, weakly.

"I didn't mean to snap, Ginger," apologized Isabella. "I wanted so hard to introduce you all to Chanukah and what a wonderful celebration it is. But now..."

"Don't blame yourself," Ginger told her. "There's no way you could've predicted the day would turn out like this!"

"I know, I know!"

Ginger got Isabella to sit down on the bench. Isabella let out a sigh of defeat.

"Guess there's nothing to do but to call Mom and tell her I'm not gonna make it."

She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket, but in the process, a small charm fell out as well. It landed on the sidewalk, in front of Gretchen. Isabella leaned down to pick it up, and upon doing so, showed that it was a charm in the shape of the Star of David. She looked it at it with forlorn, and then turned to Ginger, who had a look on her face that showed she was still hoping they could find a way out of their predicament.

And then...

**BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

"**GINGER!**"

Gretchen pushed up off the ground to join Isabella and Ginger into looking to see who had called the latter's room. Across the street, parked in front of a pharmacy, was Dr. Hirano.

"Mom?"

"Dr. Hirano! She can take us to the Community Center!"

"Well, doy, Isabella! From here, it's on the way back to my place!"

The girls crossed the street and got in, carrying their bags of flour, with Ginger hopping in the front passenger seat and Isabella and Gretchen getting in the back.

"I just hope we get there in time," Isabella said aloud.

* * *

><p>Professor Poofenplotz had emerged once more from her building, carrying a hair dryer. In the time that she had been gone, Pinky had made his way down and around the donut, biting it and leaving holes in apparently random places. At this point, he was only about two stories above the ground.<p>

"Not so fast, Pinky the Chihuahua!"

She aimed it at the puppy, intending to use the hair dryer to blow him off. Pinky responded by pulling out a one-pound box of yeast. Poofenplotz gasped in horror, having already guessed his plan.

"Wait! I designed this mega donut to only be forty stories tall and not an inch more! If you put any more yeast..."

She never finished her sentence, as Pinky tore off a corner of the box and then emptied the entirety of its contents into the hole he was next to. Immediately, the giant donut began to expand at an alarming rate.

"Arf!"

Pinky backflipped off the donut and landed on his two paws. He then ran off, leaving Professor Poofenplotz to deal with what was essentially a ticking time bomb of dough.

"No... **NOOOOOOOOOOO!**"

Finally, it reached its breaking point. The donut exploded, sending flour, dough, and thousands upon thousands of smaller donuts flying every which way. A good portion of it covered the nearest side of Poofenplotz's building almost completely, as well as those of the surrounding buildings. Poofenplotz was plastered as well, leaving her unable to move due to all of the stickiness of the remains.

A good chunk of the remnants that had been launched upwards from the donut arced out of the downtown area and headed for the suburbs. In particular...

* * *

><p>Phineas and the others had come out from under the tarp, having just finished their work. Suddenly, he sensed danger.<p>

"**INCOMING!**" he shouted, pointing at the sky.

At first, the group scrambled for cover. Then Phineas got an idea, as he grabbed a bowl that was conveniently nearby. He held it out and started catching some of the falling debris.

"It's raining... donuts?"

"And flour," added Ferb, as some of the white stuff had landed on his face.

The sun was almost completely down as Dr. Hirano's car came to a stop in front of the Community Center. Isabella, Gretchen, and Ginger got out with their bags of flour. To their surprise, they saw the boys trying to catch the donuts and the girls getting the flour.

"Oh my!" gasped Dr. Hirano as she saw the scene unfolding.

"Isabella!" Phineas shouted, acknowledging her arrival. "It's a Chanukah miracle!"

"We have enough flour and donuts to last eight days!" exclaimed Milly. "**EIGHT DAYS!**"

Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro and the other adults had walked outside to see what the commotion was all about. They, too, were stunned by what was going on.

"Isa? When I said we needed a lot of flour, I didn't mean this much!"

Isabella giggled, as she decided to act in the moment before walking over with the bags of flour she was carrying.

"Sorry, Mom! I guess us Fireside Girls don't know when to quit!"

Finally, the raining of flour and donuts ceased, and the kids started to bring in what they had managed to catch.

"I hope everyone has room for plenty of sufganiyot!" exclaimed Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro.

Everyone sounded off happily, especially Isabella's friends despite the fact that none of them knew what sufganiyot was... but the last few minutes had given them a big hint.

* * *

><p>"Talk about a waste of an afternoon," declared Professor Poofenplotz as she stood there, stuck in place. "Well, at least I still have my looks... and a cleaning crew."<p>

The cleaning crew was supposed to be the culinary students, but after seeing what happened, they were all leaving the mess where it was.

"Sorry," one of them apologized, "but our class time ended half an hour ago and we don't get paid for overtime, so... **SEE YA!**"

Seconds later, everyone was gone.

"**CURSE YOU, PINKY THE CHIHUAHUA!**"

* * *

><p>Back at the Community Center, everyone was gathered around the menorah at the front of the main room. After a rabbi blessed it, he lit the shamash. Once it was lit, he handed it to the ceremonial menorah lighter, who was Isabella.<p>

"Toda," she said, which means 'thank you' in Hebrew.

Everyone watched as Isabella used the shamash to slowly light the other candles on the menorah, one at a time. She started with the candle farthest to the left and made her way to her right. Once she was finished, she returned the shamash to its proper place, in the center of the menorah.

She bowed before it, and everyone else in the room did the same.

"Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, she'asa nisim la'avoteinu ba'yamim ha'heim ba'z'man ha'ze."

She then returned to her mother's side, but not before she could give her a hug.

"Good job, Isa!" she whispered to her hug.

"Thanks, Mom!"

The lights in the room were turned off temporarily, allowing just the menorah itself to provide a warming glow to the building's occupants.

* * *

><p>Soon after, everyone gathered in a slightly smaller room in the Community Center, where a number of tables were set up for dinner. Isabella and the Fireside Girls raced back into the kitchen to prepare sufganiyot. Their leader split them into two groups. Half of them were tasked with making traditional sufganiyot from scratch, starting with flour, yeast, and other items. The other half took the regular donuts that had fallen from the sky and injected them with assorted flavors of jelly and then rolling the filled pastry back and forth in confectioners' sugar.<p>

Isabella let each of them try one, and it only took one bite for all of them to give her a sign of approval. She would actually let them try the traditional ones too, but they would have to let the donut dough sit for more than an hour before they could be fried. So instead, they joined everyone in the makeshift dining room to eat dinner.

Everyone seemed to be having a good time as they ate a ton of fried food, including the faux-sufganiyot and latkes. Isabella was cutting apart a piece of the former to attempt to feed to Phineas, but she had second thoughts after seeing Buford grab one from a nearby tray and stuff it in Baljeet's mouth, whole.

* * *

><p>After dinner, a group of adults serenaded those present with a round of traditional Chanukah songs.<p>

"Chanukah, oh Chanukah! Come light the menorah! Let's have a party, we'll all dance the horah! Gather 'round the table, we'll give you a treat! Dreidels to play with and latkes to eat!"

Isabella could be seen singing aloud from her seat.

"And while we are playing, the candles are burning bright! One for each night, they shed a sweet light, to remind us of days long ago! One for each night, they shed a sweet light, to remind us of days long ago."

The singers began again from the start. Having caught on, Phineas started singing along with Isabella, followed by all of their friends.

"Chanukah, oh Chanukah! Come light the menorah! Let's have a party, we'll all dance the horah! Gather 'round the table, we'll give you a treat! Dreidels to play with and latkes to eat!"

The two of them got up from their seats and started dancing, while Ferb, Gretchen, and Adyson clapped to the beat to keep time.

"And while we are playing, the candles are burning bright! One for each night, they shed a sweet light, to remind us of days long ago! One for each night, they shed a sweet light, to remind us of days long ago."

Phineas and Isabella smiled at each other as the singers started humming an interlude before, once more, repeating the song.

* * *

><p>A little while later, the kids all put on their coats and headed outside to see Phineas and Ferb's second surprise of the night. Isabella, Gretchen, and Ginger did not know what was under the tarp, so they were pleasantly surprised when it was pulled off to reveal a human-sized dreidel! Phineas smirked as he looked at Isabella.<p>

"Do we know Chanukah, or do we **KNOW **Chanukah?"

Ferb got into a crane to place the dreidels in a holder. He used the crane's claw to hold the top-shaped device upright as Phineas took Isabella by the hand to a very long piece of string tied to the dreidel's handle. Everyone watched as Phineas put the string in Isabella's hand and motioned for her to pull it as hard as she could. The instant she pulled, Ferb simultaneously opened the claw's jaws. That allowed the giant dreidel to spin out of the holder and do a number of revolutions, moving towards the kids, until, finally, it tipped over and landed on its side.

As Isabella looked at the symbols on the visible sides of the dreidel to deduce what symbol was on the face-up side, Ferb answered her query by leaning out of the crane's cabin and holding up a sign with the symbol for gimel on it.

"Gimel? That means I won the pot!"

Isabella was ecstatic for a brief second before realizing something was off.

"Uh, Phineas, nobody put anything in the pot."

He shot her a sly smile. "Oh, really?"

He clapped his hands, and on command, an assortment of small objects was launched out of the face-up side. Phineas quickly handed Isabella a helmet and a bowl, and from there, she knew what to do.

She quickly figured out where everything was going to land, got there, and held out her bowl in front of her. In seconds, her bowl became filled with gelt, pennies, and raisins.

"I got 'em all!" she shouted, rejoicing.

"So," Phineas said, turning to the others. "Who else wants a turn?"

Buford, Baljeet, and all of the other girls all raised their hands.

* * *

><p>Each of them was shown taking a turn. Most of them won a smaller pot of prizes from their dreidel spins, either half the amount of Isabella's take or just one or two random pieces. Buford was the only one whose dreidel labeled on the side with the symbol nun, which means he got nothing. Baljeet made the mistake of laughing at his bad luck, and Buford reacted by pulling out another can of chocolate-covered ants and trying to dump it on him.<p>

* * *

><p>But eventually, the night had to come to an end. The kids were back inside, this time enjoying sufganiyot for real as the adults began cleaning up.<p>

"This is the best Chanukah ever!" Isabella exclaimed. "I'm so glad I was able to share it with all of you!"

"We should celebrate all of the holidays," Ferb declared. "Like Kwanzaa."

"Or Boxing Day!" suggested Buford.

Isabella gave him an odd look.

"Um, Buford? Boxing Day is not about the sport of boxing."

Buford had put on a boxing glove and was threatening to hit Baljeet with it.

"It's not? **LAME!**"

"There's only one thing that would make this last night even better!"

"Arf arf!"

"Oh, there you are, Pinky!"

She picked the shivering chihuahua off of the ground and gave him a hug.

"Where have you been, boy? You missed all the fun? But not the sufganiyot!"

She gave the last half of her Jewish donut to Pinky, who gently grabbed it with his teeth before starting to chew it down.

"**HAPPY CHANUKAH!**" they all exclaimed, waving goodbye towards the screen.

Pan over to a shot of the menorah, as the candles reached the end of the wick and went out on their own.

_And that was the first Chanukah I ever spent with my friends! I hope you all enjoyed learning about my favorite holiday like all of them did! With that, toda and laila tov!_

**End Entry**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>  
>So what did you think of the series' first holiday special? Again, I'm not Jewish, so I hope no one is offended by what transpired in these episodes. That being said, in this day and age, it's great that there are so many cultures and religions that many now deem acceptable, so I hope you all enjoyed this little tale about Chanukah.<p>

Also, this special features the first appearances of Admiral Acronym and Professor Poofenplotz, Agent Pinky's boss and nemesis, respectively. This is the second appearance of Agent Pinky, though. His first? Way back in "Phineas is Mine!"

Next week, it's back to this season's main arc, in a pivotal episode that'll set the tone for entries to come! One of Adyson's presidential campaign promises was to get the school to serve some healthier options for lunch! She recruits one of her friends to help. Hint: It's a former rival and former love interest! Or... maybe the latter was never really former? You don't want to miss this one!


	29. The Promise

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

This is the episode where the plot of this season's main story arc comes to light, and I'm kinda worried because it may be deemed controversial and too non-canon. If you look at the prerequisites below, you probably have figured out where this is going, but if you haven't... well, enjoy the ride!

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #214 ("My Salty Sweetwater")<br>- Entry #365 ("I'm Your Next Class President!")

**Concurrent with (means some events occur at the same time with):  
><strong>- Entry #406 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 304)

* * *

><p>It was lunch time at Danville Elementary, and Isabella, Adyson, and Katie were seen exiting the line. They headed for the table in the cafeteria where all their friends were sitting.<p>

_Entry #407 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater_

_I have a problem. And not a silly problem, like accidentally checking out a book on puberty or needing help passing a physical fitness test. I have a real problem._

_A real __**BOY**__ problem._

Isabella happily took a seat at the table in between Phineas and Gretchen, while Ginger claimed an opening to Gretchen's right. Adyson sat right across from Ginger, with Holly to her right and Milly to her left.

_But you're probably thinking... Addy, didn't you have boy problems before? Well, yeah! With a certain one of my friends..._

Adyson turned her head towards Phineas...

_Wait, wait, wait! I don't mean Phineas... I mean..._

Suddenly, she felt Holly tap her on the shoulder.

"Girl, you really gonna eat that?"

Adyson followed Holly's finger, which was pointed at the former's lemon-colored sloppy tuna casserole. They looked over at Ginger's tray and saw the same mess of a lunch on it as well.

"See, that's why I started bringing lunch from home," stated Milly, holding up a cold ham-and-cheese-on-wheat sandwich.

"I seem to remember," stated Holly, "as your campaign manager, that one of your presidential promises was to improve school lunches! What happened to that?"

"I talked to the principal about it," Adyson answered, "but he said there wasn't any money in the school budget for such a change."

"Surely there's something you can do!" exclaimed Ginger, as she poked at the casserole with her fork. "If I don't eat anything, I won't have any energy to spend starting at Baljeet the rest of the day!"

She then glanced down the table and started staring at him anyway.

"Oh, Baljeet..."

Adyson started to think.

_Ginger's right. There was something I could do, but I needed help. And I knew just the person to ask._

Adyson glanced down the table to look at Baljeet. She then turned to Ginger, then Baljeet, then Ginger again, and finally, back at Baljeet.

_See? Real boy problem._

**-  
>Entry #407 [FSD305] - The Promise (12.17.12)<br>-**

That afternoon, coming out of the classroom...

"You sure you can't come?" Isabella asked Adyson.

"Yeah. I really have to do something about these school lunches."

Isabella then spotted Ginger hiding behind her locker door, trying to spy on Buford and Baljeet.

"I guess I'll go ask Ginger then."

Adyson went to her locker and got her things. She closed it just in time to see Isabella pull Ginger away from her 'spy' mission.

"Good luck, Miss President!" Holly exclaimed, as she walked by with Gretchen.

Adyson waved goodbye to her friends. Only when they had all disappeared into the stairwell did she finally move towards Buford and Baljeet. She watched as Buford swung his backpack at Baljeet's head for what had to be at least the tenth time. Of course, he did so slowly that Baljeet was able to dodge it once more, but still...

"Stop! Buford, we are going to miss the bus!"

"So? Walking's good for ya!"

Buford swung again. Having seen enough, Adyson attempted to step in. But all that did was put her right in the path of Buford's swing.

The next thing she knew, the bag had hit her square in the nose. Baljeet gasped.

"**ADYSON!** Buford, look what you have done! You hit a **GIRL**!"

"It's not my fault she doesn't know how to duck!"

He lowered the bag back down to the ground.

"I'm okay," Adyson said, rubbing the bridge of her now-visibly red nose. "I've been hit with worse."

Baljeet reached into his locker and pulled out a frozen ice pack. Adyson was impressed.

"Why do you have ice packs in there, and how do you keep them so cold?"

Adyson held it up against her nose as Baljeet pointed to the mini-fridge in his locker before responding to her query.

"One who is bullied can never be too careful. Especially one who likes to give wedgies. That is why they are so small, so I can put them down my..."

"**EEW!**" squealed Adyson, freaking out as she let go of the ice pack. "**BALJEET!**"

"I throw them away afterwards! Do you think I am unsanitary?"

Baljeet sighed as he took a second ice pack out to give to her. Adyson hesitated at first, but then, showing how much she trusted him, she took it and held it up against her nose.

"So, uh, Adyson, did you need something?"

"Oh, right! Remember the class presidential campaign?"

"Regrettably, yes. Not my finest moment."

Buford interjected. "Hey! It's not the fault of us bullies! We held up our end of the bargain and voted for ya!"

"You do not have to keep reminding me!"

He then turned to Adyson.

"Anyway, what of it?"

"Do you recall that campaign promise I made to improve the school lunches?"

"Now that I think of it, you never fulfilled that. Shame on you, misleading the student body!"

"**I HAVEN'T BEEN MISLEADING...**"

Baljeet yelped in fear, as he hid behind Buford. Adyson's tone of voice had sharpened, and in turn, it had frightened Baljeet.

_Yeah, I really have to work on keeping mood swings to a minimum. Especially around someone as jumpy as Baljeet. Anyway..._

Adyson cleared her throat in order to calm herself down. Once she thought she was back to normal, she restarted her proposal.

"I've kind of been having trouble getting it done. Normally, I'd ask Isabella for help, since she's my advisor and all, but she's too busy with Fireside Girls' stuff. So, being my second choice, I was hoping that you'd be willing to lend me a hand!"

Baljeet slowly came out from Buford, and he started to think.

"Hmmm..."

"Well?"

"The issue does not matter to me in the slightest, seeing as how I rarely partake in lunch."

Buford whistled innocently.

_I should note Buford takes lunch money from Baljeet every day. One of these days, maybe us girls can get him to stop. One boy problem at a time, though..._

"Still," Baljeet continued, "I can see how healthier school lunches would be beneficial to the general school populace as a whole."

He took a few more seconds before he could come to a decision.

"Okay! Adyson, I am in!"

Adyson squealed with delight.

"Thanks! I knew I could count on you!"

She reached over to wrap her arms around Baljeet and give him a hug, but she suddenly stopped herself just a few inches away. Her face went red as she dropped her arms, and then quickly walked away.

"What was up with that?" asked Buford.

"I am... not sure?"

_Oh, really, Baljeet? Just you wait..._

Meanwhile, Adyson had gotten far enough away that the redness in her cheeks had changed back to its normal rosy pink. She stopped walking to regain the rest of her composure.

"Why?" Adyson asked herself aloud. "You were long over this, girl!"

She headed for her locker to get her things...

_If one of the other girls were writing this, you would believe that they figured that something was up with me. And they would be right..._

* * *

><p>The next day, after school, Baljeet was quietly sitting at a table booth inside Mr. Slushy Dawg. He was twiddling his thumbs as he waited patiently for Adyson to arrive. Little did he know that she had already been there for 10 minutes.<p>

She was just hiding in the women's restroom, indicated by her slowly sticking her head out of the entrance door in order to see where Baljeet was sitting. Suddenly, Baljeet turned his head ever so slightly in her direction, and she quickly ducked back inside.

"Why am I acting like this?" Adyson asked herself. "It's not like I've never spent time with Baljeet before."

_True. But usually, there were other people there. The last time I was alone with Baljeet? I'd say... about seven months ago?_

She walked over to the mirror and looked at her reflection.

"Look, girl, if you don't go out there, he'll think you're a flake! Or worse, he'll think I stood him up! Which would be a whole lot worse for his self-esteem!"

She turned on the sink and splashed some water in her face.

"You're here to fulfill your duty as class president, Addy! Just remember that and forget everything else, and you'll get through this with no problem!"

Having found her confidence, Adyson nodded at her reflection. She turned off the faucet, got a paper towel to wipe her face dry, and then she exited the restroom.

"Just doing your duty," she told herself as she headed for Baljeet's table. "Doing your duty. Doing your duty. Doing your duty.

"**HA! **You said doody!"

Adyson's eyes went wide. "That voice!"

She looked up, and to both her shock and dismay, Buford was there. He had pushed Baljeet into the booth, trapping him and preventing his escape.

"**BUFORD! **What are you doing here? This is a private meeting!"

"'Jeet and I are a package deal! You get both of us, or none of us."

Baljeet coughed. "You mean neither of us."

Buford glared at Baljeet. He promptly shut up.

_On one hand, having Buford there would make it difficult for Baljeet to concentrate on what we were doing. On the other, not having him there would probably have made it difficult for me to concentrate._

Adyson sighed in defeat. "Fine."

She slid into the seat on the opposite side of the booth. Adyson started to reach for a pencil and a notepad, but then she noticed for the first time that Baljeet already had a presentation of sorts prepared.

"I have already had talks with both the principal and the Danville School Board in regards to the issue of healthier school lunches. But despite presenting a plan that I believe that both accomplish our goal of them offering healthier options and making it cost-effective with minor modifications to the school's annual budget, they rejected it!"

Adyson picked up a 12-page packet that detailed the entire plan. It was filled with diagrams, charts, and illustrations that were accurate and concise.

"Yikes!" Adyson replied after scanning the packet. "But all of this... this is incredible, Baljeet! Who in their right mind would turn down this?"

Neither of them noticed, but Buford suspiciously looked away.

* * *

><p>Earlier that day, at the main School Board office, about ten minutes prior to Baljeet's meeting with them...<p>

"Young man," the board president said to Buford, "we will not be bribed into turning away a reasonable proposal to improve the options for school lunches at Danville Elementary!"

The rest of the board agreed with the president. Buford, though, had a great counter-offer, as he pulled out...

"Free coupons to Mr. Slushy Dawg!"

The board huddled to discuss it. After a few seconds, they rendered their verdict.

"Deal!"

* * *

><p><em>Buford. Sigh... yeah, one of these days, we <em>_**REALLY**__ need to do something about him..._

"There may be one last option open to us," Baljeet said. "We have to take this to the top!"

Adyson gasped. "You mean... the President of the United States?"

Baljeet frowned, unimpressed. Adyson started giggling.

"I'm kidding, kidding! You mean the mayor's office, right?"

"Yes! Surely Mayor Doofenshmirtz will see the light and realize how important it is that the students of Danville Elementary have healthier options for lunch!"

"**YEAH!**"

"Wait, wait, **WAIT!**"

The two's exuberance was interrupted by Buford voicing a concern.

"What?" deadpanned Adyson, scowling.

"You two are talking nonsense! You're going to get rid of the hot dogs, and the pizza! Those are still half-edible!"

"Buford," Baljeet told him, "we would never advocate axing pizza! We will just be pushing for real ingredients, like actual tomato sauce!"

"Uh huh," added Adyson, "and the hot dogs would be of real pork! No fillers!"

Buford thought about it. "Hmmm... real food? What a novel concept! Concerns withdrawn."

"Good! Then all we have to do is get 500 signatures from registered Danville voters by 5 pm tomorrow, and the mayor promises to give our proposal a fair amount of consideration!"

Baljeet had a five-page packet, in which each page had 100 spaces for signatures. He kept the first two pages for himself, handed the next two to Adyson, and then gave the last page to Buford.

"And please do not make up names this time, Buford."

"For the last time, Seymour Butts is a real person!"

"Sure he is."

With that, Buford got up out of the booth and headed for the exit. Baljeet was about to slide out, too, but then he realized that, for some strange reason, Adyson was staring at him.

"Um, Adyson?"

Upon hearing her name, Adyson snapped back to reality.

"Sorry. Trying to think of good places to ask for signatures."

"Well, don't think too long! Those pages won't fill themselves!"

"Of course not!"

Baljeet left, leaving Adyson alone in the booth.

"What is **WRONG** with me?"

_Trust me, me. You don't want me to answer that._

* * *

><p><em>To be honest, getting 200 signatures in such a short period of time is not a problem for someone like me. Between my connections as a Fireside Girl and as Class President, it was a cinch.<em>

_I just had to hope Baljeet and Buford could pull through..._

It was late the next morning, and Adyson was sitting in the waiting area just outside Mayor Doofenshmirtz's office inside City Hall. The mayor's secretary, Melanie, was keeping herself busy by filing her nails. Adyson had in hand two pages full of signatures, and was just waiting for the boys to show up with the other three. She glanced up at a clock on the wall. It read 11:51.

She whipped out her cell phone and typed out a text message for Baljeet. It read 'Where are you?'

The room then went silent, save for the noises of Melanie filing and Adyson tapping her foot impatiently. That was all that could be heard for three minutes. Then, out of the blue, a third sound filled the air: a dinging noise signifying that the elevator had arrived at that floor. Baljeet walked out of the car, gasping for breath and looking apologetic, and Adyson got up to greet him.

"I am... sorry for... my tardiness!" he exclaimed, in between breaths.

"Baljeet!" Adyson lightly snapped. "You know better than to keep a girl waiting!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

He would have continued to apologize over and over if he had not become frozen after catching sight of an article of clothing that Adyson was wearing. One of great significance between the two.

"Adyson? Why are you wearing that?"

Adyson looked down at her lime green sweater, which had a cat playing with a ball of yarn on the front of it. She then looked at Baljeet again.

"What? It was unusually cold today for a late summer's morning. Though I admit, it is getting a little warm in here..."

She started to do so, slipping her left arm back into her sleeve.

"**NO, NO! NOT HERE!**" cried Baljeet.

Melanie snickered to herself from her desk as she watched the scene unfold.

"I was her age when I had my first crush," she said, in a sarcastic tone.

Baljeet pleaded for Adyson to stop, but she continued to strip anyway. Underneath her sweater was her sleeveless orange Fireside Girl uniform shirt, minus the sash. She then proceeded to tie her sweater around her waist, letting the bulk of the fabric cover her legs from the front.

"A-A-A-Adyson..."

Baljeet was staring at Adyson, and the brunette seemed perplexed as to why...

_Light bulb of realization going off in 3... 2... 1..._

...and then it came to her.

"This is..."

"...the exact outfit you wearing that night!" finished Baljeet. "Last Valentine's!"

Adyson grabbed one of the sleeves of her sweater and held it up in front of her.

"I had forgotten about that! This is the first time I've worn this since!"

"Why is that? It looks great on you!"

Adyson gasped, releasing her grip on the sleeve. Realizing what he had said, Baljeet blushed in embarrassment.

"**OH!**I was not supposed to say that out loud!"

"Baljeet, it's okay!"

Adyson grabbed Baljeet's hands and sandwiched them in between hers.

"I think it looks great on me too."

The two preteens gazed into each other's eyes, savoring the moment and completely forgetting the reason they were at City Hall.

And then Mayor Doofenshmirtz opened the door to his office and peeked his head out.

"Melanie, is my 11:30 here yet?"

Upon hearing Roger's voice, Baljeet and Adyson snapped back to reality. They ran up to the mayor, with Baljeet's prepared packet and pages of signatures, including the page Buford had been responsible for.

"Mayor!" shouted Baljeet. "We would like to submit to you a proposal to mandate healthier lunch options for students at Danville Elementary!"

"I'm our Class President," explained Adyson, "and this is one of my campaign promises, so I'd really appreciate it if you'd take a look. This is something that everyone at my school really wants, so..."

"**APPROVED!**" declared Mayor Doofenshmirtz.

He took the papers from them and put them on the desk. He pulled a rubber stamp out of his pants pocket and used it, stamping a red 'Approved' stamp on the front page of Baljeet's packet. The kids were stunned at the quick affirmation.

"That... that's it?" Adyson asked.

"Well, what do you expect? It's lunchtime on a Saturday! Speaking of which, Melanie, verify the signatures and prepare an official document for me to sign first thing Monday morning! I'm taking a half-day!"

With that, Mayor Doofenshmirtz marched for the elevator, leaving his secretary to do all his work. As she went to it, albeit begrudgingly, Adyson and Baljeet left.

* * *

><p>The two walked down the steps of City Hall, together, headed in the direction of the main shopping district.<p>

"I can't believe it's been more than a half a year," Adyson thought aloud.

"I know. That was a magical evening."

Adyson smirked. "So, your definition of magical is you falling off the pier, me saving you, and then you spitting sea water back at me when I tried to resuscitate you?"

Baljeet let out an uneasy laugh. "Well, when you put it that way..."

"Everything else, though... that was magical."

The two turned towards one another and looked into each other's eyes once more. Before anything more could happen, though, Adyson grabbed Baljeet by the hand and lightly pulled him down the street with her.

_So, I fulfilled a campaign promise today and now my friends and classmates no longer have to worry about what's in their lunch. Oh, and I also figured out why I've been feeling funny around Baljeet. And, apparently, why he feels the same way about me._

_We like __**LIKE**__ each other!_

_Oddly, I'm kind of glad I had forgotten about that night. Because that means I also forgot that we promised to not tell anyone about it._

Adyson and Baljeet were laughing happily as they skipped off into the distance.

_That being said, I couldn't be happier! In fact, now I don't remember why I said this was a real boy problem._

_Eh... I'll sure it'll come back to me!_

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>More P&amp;F characters make their debut this episode with Mayor Roger Doofenshmirtz and his secretary, Melanie, but they're probably who you don't want me to talk about, huh?<p>

I decided to revisit the ship I refer to as Adyjeet - not sure if there's a name for it or not - because everyone seemed to like it the first time it came up ("My Salty Sweetwater"). Besides, it's just as likely to happen as the other two ships involving Adyson - you crazy people know who I'm referring to - which is pretty much not likely at all. But I digress. Also, you all seemed to dislike me messing around with Isabella's love life last season, so I'm switching things up this season to mess around with Adyson and Ginger. Speaking of which... how long did you think it'll take Ginger to find out?

It won't be next episode, which you'll see after a short break for the holidays! On January 14th, it's the second and final two-parter of the season, as a blizzard hits Danville! One of the Fireside Girls gets buried alive in the snow! Can the others find and rescue her before it's too late? You'll find out in four weeks!


	30. Snow Bound

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Happy 2013, everyone! How are you?

Anyway, this is going up later than usual. A lot later. Late enough most of you will probably be asleep when this goes up. Just know, whenever you read this... this is the first of two new episodes this week. The second's coming up later tonight, hopefully. In the meantime, enjoy the first one right now!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #206 - Written by Katie<em>

_This will b-b-b-b-be my f-f-f-f-f-final entry as a F-F-F-F-Fireside Girl. Why, you a-a-a-a-ask?_

Katie looked up from typing on her cell phone as she heard the wind howl loudly outside, pushing into the door in an attempt to blow it off of its hinges. She was sitting on the floor in a wooden shack. The screen of the phone was her only source of light at her disposal, and it was barely bright enough to make her face visible in the dark room.

_I m-m-m-m-made the m-m-m-m-mistake of staying out t-t-t-t-too long and ended up getting caught in this b-b-b-b-blizzard._

Katie was again interrupted by a frightening sound. This time, it was coming from above her, from the roof. She aimed her screen upwards and saw that the top of the shack was beginning to sag. Any minute now, Katie's worst fear would be realized, and the snow piling up on the roof would be too heavy for it to handle.

_B-b-b-b-before I get b-b-b-b-buried alive, I g-g-g-g-guess I s-s-s-s-should explain how I g-g-g-g-got into this p-p-p-p-predicament._

**-  
>Entry #206 [FSD306] - Snow Bound (01.14.03)<br>-**

_It all began earlier that d-d-d-d-day..._

A routine mid-week Fireside Girl meeting had ended just minutes ago. The entire troop was just hanging out at the lodge, but they all seemed to have one eye looking out the window.

"Wind's starting to pick up," Milly said, as she stood with Holly and Katie.

"You really think we're gonna get more than a foot of snow tonight?" questioned Holly.

"I know we're getting enough to get at least one snow day out of it! That's all I care about!"

Isabella cut into the conversation.

"Nevertheless, we'd all better get home. The last thing you want to happen is to get stuck in that mess of heavy, fluffy snow and cold, blustery winds."

With that, the girls headed out of the lodge. Isabella, Adyson, and Holly walked one way, while Milly and Katie went the other. The younger pair was rather quiet as they made their way down the street. Suddenly, Katie started to make an unexpected left turn.

"Katie, where are you going?"

"To the arcade."

_But, of c-c-c-c-course, Milly knows me too w-w-w-w-well to believe that._

"Are you still feeding that stray?"

Katie thought about how to respond to the question, and then finally slowly nodded in confirmation.

"You should really take it to the animal shelter."

"But he's old, Milly! No one's gonna want to adopt him, and he'll just get put down."

"So why don't you adopt him?"

"Can't. I asked my parents, but we just can't afford it."

"Well..."

"I just want to give him enough food to survive the storm. Afterwards, I'll tell Isabella about him, and we can figure out what to do about him."

"Alright. Just don't dawdle!"

With that, the two best friends parted ways.

* * *

><p><em>A f-f-f-f-few weeks ago, just shortly after New Year's, I found this stray dog, j-j-j-j-just wandering around the old abandoned industrial d-d-d-d-district of D-D-D-D-Danville.<em>

Katie was now walking in that section of the city. Many of the buildings there had been razed or were scheduled to be in the coming weeks. Others were being repurposed and repaired for other uses.

"Where is he?" she thought.

_This p-p-p-p-part of the city is under m-m-m-m-major reconstruction. It would not s-s-s-s-surprise me if one day I came here and he wasn't here, having been found by s-s-s-s-someone and taken to a s-s-s-s-shelter._

Katie started whistling for the dog.

"Here, Trooper! Here, boy!"

Suddenly, a golden labrador retriever slowly made his way out from a nearby factory that happened to be missing a door. Katie met him halfway, and upon reaching him, wrapped her arms around the back of his neck with a loving embrace. He returned the act of kindness by licking her face several times.

_I don't know what his r-r-r-r-real name is, so I just call him T-T-T-T-Trooper. Y'know, 'cause he's such a t-t-t-t-trooper for surviving so long on his own._

"Okay, Trooper, heel!"

He politely obeyed, pulling away and taking a seat on the cold pavement.

"I brought a few things to help you out for the storm. We might all get snowed in, and I might not be able to visit you for a day or two."

Katie motioned for Trooper to follow her back into the factory he had come out of. It used to be a canning plant, given the conveyor belts and machines left behind by the company that had owned it before they went bankrupt. The two of them made their way up a metal ramp that led to a raised walkway overlooking the entire floor. They then arrived at Trooper's home, so to speak, which was the foreman's office. The original contents had long been removed, and all that was in there was a futon, two doggie bowls, and...

"Oh, Trooper!" Katie groaned as she fanned the air with her hand. "I thought you knew better!"

All Trooper could do was place his paws on top of his head and bow in shame.

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, Katie had cleaned Trooper's home as best as she could, using paper towels and an air freshener spray.<p>

"That'll do for now."

"Woof!" barked Trooper in appreciation.

She put the cleaning supplies back in her bag and then took out a gallon jug of water, a plastic bag with dog food in it, a chew toy in the shape of a bone, and a blanket. She started by filling Trooper's bowls to the brim with food and water, respectively. While he immediately went to eating dinner, Katie moved on to setting out the blanket. She unfolded it atop the futon so that it was easy for Trooper to get into.

Once she was done, she took a seat on the blanket and placed the toy down next to her. She then watched Trooper eat and drink, not paying any mind that he was ignoring her in order to do so.

"I wish I had some place warmer that I could take you," Katie said aloud. "But I know you can survive this blizzard! You've lasted this long just on what little help I've been able to give you."

Trooper had heard her, but again, was too busy stuffing his face to deliver a response. Katie, meanwhile, started to rub her arms. Despite the winter coat she had on, she was beginning to get cold. She got up, picked the blanket up, and wrapped it around her body. It warmed her up almost instantaneously.

"I forgot how warm this blanket gets! Mmmmm..."

She started to relax, content on sitting there until Trooper had finished her meal. But as she sat, she began to get comfortable. Before she knew it, she was lying down on the futon.

"I suppose five minutes won't hurt..."

She felt herself drifting off...

_Five m-m-m-m-minutes?_

* * *

><p><em>Try t-t-t-t-two-and-a-half hours!<em>

"Woof! **WOOF WOOF!**"

Trooper's loud barking snapped Katie out of slumber. She sat up in a hurry, as the portion of the blanket covering her upper body fell onto her lap. She quickly realized two things: that it was now much colder than it was earlier and, as a result, Trooper was trying to get into the blanket to warm himself up.

"What happened? What time it is?"

She pulled out her cell phone. The display read 6:47.

"I have to get home!"

She threw off the blanket, causing it to land on Trooper. He barked loudly in response as she whipped open the office door. The chilly air really hit her, as she could feel the cold blow into the factory through the half-hinged entrance door. Katie grabbed her backpack and then made her way down there as fast as she could, making sure not to trip over her own two feet.

"**WOOF! WOOF!**"

_I heard Trooper b-b-b-b-bark at me repeatedly from the top of the r-r-r-r-ramp. I'm s-s-s-s-sure he was begging me to stay with him. But I couldn't! I had to get h-h-h-h-home, before the blizzard hit._

As Katie reached the front door, though, she saw that some snow had already drifted into the building. Upon stepping outside, Katie observed that enough snow had fallen to cover the ground entirely. In addition, more snow was falling to the ground, and seemingly, in bunches.

_At that p-p-p-p-point, I knew I was in trouble. I had to get home, and f-f-f-f-fast!_

"Let's see," Katie thought aloud. "Nearest subway station is 13 blocks away. Bus stop, eight. Taxi service or any vehicular traffic of any kind, five."

As she debated what to do, she again heard Trooper barking at her from inside.

"**WOOF WOOF WOOF! WOOF WOOF WOOF!**"

She turned around and peeked her head back in. Trooper was still at the top of the walkway, continuously barking at her.

"Trooper, quiet! **QUIET!**"

But he would not stop. Katie had no choice.

"Sorry, but this is for your own good!"

Katie grabbed the door and tried to arrange it so that it was upright and would at least keep some, if not all, of the snow and the cold air from getting in. Without any tools on hand to permanently keep it in place, she had to hope nothing would knock it over. Once she was done, Katie backed away. She could still hear Trooper barking at her, even though the sound was muffled.

"Trust me," she said aloud, "you'll be okay as long as you stay in there."

She then ran off into the night, finally deciding that it was the only option she had.

_T-t-t-t-turns out... I should've followed my own advice..._

* * *

><p>Given that she was in a part of the city in the midst of reconstruction, much of the area had no electricity, which means Katie was running in complete darkness. The falling slow also affected her visibility, as some of it tried to land in her eyes. The flakes that made it to the ground were quickly piling up, and it was already beginning to slow Katie down.<p>

"This cannot get any worse."

And then it started to get windy. Snow on the ground began to drift, while snow in the air was blown towards her.

"Oh, me and my big mouth!"

* * *

><p>Conditions had worsened even more by the time Katie had reached a block where the street lights were working. By this point, there were very few vehicles moving on the road, if any at all.<p>

"Well, that rules out pretty much everything."

_By this point, my options were very limited. Either continue trying to get home on foot, which was still a 20-block trek, or attempt to find a place to take shelter for the time being._

_G-g-g-g-guess what I decided to do?_

"I can cut through Danville Park to get home!" Katie exclaimed.

Katie headed off in that direction.

_Yeah... I'm starting t-t-t-t-to realize it's my fault I'm in this m-m-m-m-mess._

* * *

><p>The storm continued to intensify. The wind was now howling loudly and blowing hard. Katie could see snow-covered tree branches swaying to and fro. When she could actually see them, that is. Conditions were so bad with snow flying every which way; she was having trouble seeing more than six inches in front of her. And now she was walking in what had to be a half-foot of snow, enough to cover her boots. She had to high-step every time she moved, and doing so allowed a small bit of snow to slip in, making her feet colder and wetter with each passing second. She also no longer had her backpack, which she had apparently let slip off of her at some point.<p>

"It was a mistake coming out here!" she thought. "I have to go back."

She turned around to follow her tracks back out, but poor visibility and drifting snow quickly made that impossible. Katie began to shiver, as her coat started to fail to keep her warm as the temperature continued to drop.

"G-g-g-g-gotta find s-s-s-s-somewhere to g-g-g-g-get w-w-w-w-warm..."

Katie continued forward.

_I knew my only hope for survival was to keep moving. But to where? I figured that I could become hypothermic in a matter of minutes, and then I'd really be in trouble!_

_And then..._

Katie stopped. Her eyes picked up the shape of a manmade structure ahead of her. She could not tell what it was exactly, but at the same time, she could not afford to be picky. She had to get to it.

"Alright, Katie. Time to high-step like you've never high-stepped before!"

Step by step, Katie slowly headed off in the structure's direction. As she got closer, the shape and size of it became clearer to her. But it was not until her gloved right hand made contact with one of the walls of it that she realized what it was.

A wooden park maintenance shack.

She felt her way along it, searching for the door. It ended up being right around the corner, as she grabbed a hold of a doorknob. Twisting it, the door immediately swung open, spilling Katie into it, as well as a little bit of snow. Her instincts immediately compelled her to get up and close the door. The wind started blowing directly at the doorway, making it a little difficult. But it relented, and Katie was able to get the door shut.

The blonde girl breathed a sigh of relief, even though she was once more in complete darkness. Not to mention that she was still cold. She took a seat on the bone-chilling concrete slab that served as the floor, and reached for her boots. She took off her left boot first, then her left sock, her right boot, and her right sock. Sure, her now exposed feet were cold, but they would have frozen faster if she had left her boots on. She rubbed her feet together, trying to generate some warmth in them. As she did that, she took out her cell phone so she could at least see what she was doing.

"Now what?"

For the time being, she was safe from some of the harsher elements of the storm. But it was still quite cold in the shack, and a quick scan of it using the light from her cell phone showed that there was nothing in there to keep her warm. Or anything at all, to be frank. The only thing in there besides her and the four walls was a solitary light bulb that hung from the ceiling, as well as the wire that connected it to a switch on the wall.

Katie got up to flip the switch on, giving her a little more sight. But not much warmth, though.

"Well, it's better than nothing."

With the bulb illuminating the room, Katie could use her phone to call for help. She dialed Isabella's number as fast as her fingers would allow. But...

"No signal? No signal!"

She walked from one corner of the small shack to another, in hopes of picking up a signal. But it was no use.

"Wait! Isabella said once that, in an emergency, text messages are more likely to go through than phone calls!"

She started typing.

"'Izzy. Stuck in Danville Park. S.O.S. Katie.'"

She pressed send. At that very second, her phone started picking up a small signal. She held her phone still, hoping to keep connected long enough for her message to get through. A few seconds later, the words 'Message Sent' appeared on her screen.

"**YES!**" Katie exclaimed, pumping her fist in glee.

The celebration would be short-lived, though, as seconds later the wind howled the loudest it had yet. Katie could hear the wind whipping up, tossing snow at the outside of the shack. The light bulb began flickering on and off, as the storm assailed some nearby power lines.

And then they went out completely.

Katie went back over to the light switch and flipped it on and off several times. Nothing happened.

"One step forward. Two steps back."

* * *

><p>Some unknown amount of time later...<p>

Katie quietly sat in the dark, occasionally turning on her phone to check the time and to light up the room temporarily. The wind would start howling hard, then die down for a few minutes, and then begin blowing again. Occasionally, the wind would blow directly into the door, giving Katie a blast of cold air that made things even chillier.

Realizing that there was a possibility that she might not survive the night, the blonde girl got her cell phone and started typing away on it.

_A-a-a-a-and this is where I am n-n-n-n-now._

Suddenly, Katie heard a creaking sound. She looked up and saw that the roof was beginning to sag. She was afraid that the snow piling up on top of it will be too much and collapse the roof down onto her, burying her alive. Instead of waiting for the worst to happen, though, she looked back down at her cell phone and resumed typing.

_If this really is my final entry, there are a f-f-f-f-few things I'd like to say._

_Gretchen, thanks for t-t-t-t-tutoring me after I struggled to catch up after being out of s-s-s-s-school for a week with the flu. And for the chicken s-s-s-s-soup you made for me and went o-o-o-o-out of your way to deliver to me._

_Holly, t-t-t-t-thanks for teaching me how to sing, dance, and p-p-p-p-play numerous musical instruments. I just w-w-w-w-wish I could've mastered playing the harp. I probably would have already if I didn't d-d-d-d-ditch you that one time to try to score Tiny Cowboy VIP p-p-p-p-passes. Trying to eat a k-k-k-k-kitchen sink's worth of ice cream in an hour to get 'em wasn't w-w-w-w-worth it._

_Adyson! That o-o-o-o-one time you lost your beret and h-h-h-h-had to make a new one? I have it. Or, did. I gave it to that one b-b-b-b-boy who likes sniffing things. That's why he keeps trying to sniff your h-h-h-h-hair. Forgive me?_

_Ginger? Baljeet's __**NOT**__ cute. G-g-g-g-get over him._

_Isabella? Phineas __**IS**__ cute. G-g-g-g-get all over him!_

_And Milly... we've been the b-b-b-b-bestest of friends ever since we first met, on the day we both j-j-j-j-joined the Fireside Girls. In case you never see me again after this... I'd like to bequeath you with all of my p-p-p-p-patches. It's only f-f-f-f-fair. After all, without each other, we wouldn't n-n-n-n-nearly have as many patches as we do. So thanks for always being there for m-m-m-m-me, like I've always been there for y-y-y-y-you._

Katie stopped, taking time to shed a tear as her emotions began to get the best of her. And then reality set in, as the roof creaked a second time, reminding her of her impending doom. She gathered herself so she could finish her letter.

_Finally, I'd like to t-t-t-t-thank all of my family, friends, fans, and other supporters. It's been g-g-g-g-great telling you all of our a-a-a-a-adventures, even if I haven't r-r-r-r-really contributed all that much personally. Thanks for all the kindness you've showered us with these past few months. At the very least, you should know that if this is the last time you'll hear for me, I can take pride in saying that I met my e-e-e-e-end doing what I love._

_Being a Fireside Girl._

_With love,_

_Katie._

Katie clicked save. She then reached for the button to turn her phone off, when, suddenly, it began to vibrate. She saw that she had two messages from Isabella that had just gotten through to her.

"What? She got it!"

She opened the first text and read it aloud.

"'Katie, are you alright? Your mom just called my mom asking where you are. Izzy.'"

Katie was confused. Then she read the time stamp and discovered that it had been sent before Katie had sent her S.O.S. text. The lack of a signal had kept her from getting it until now. The second text from Izzy, though, was from just minutes ago.

"'We just got your message. Are you safe? We'll get to you as soon as we can, but the blizzard's making it hard to get you.'"

Knowing she could not afford to wait much longer, Katie quickly typed a response.

"You have to hurry! This place might collapse on me any sec-"

Katie never got to finish her text, as the roof creaked a third time. This time it gave way, wood, snow, and all, coming down directly on top of her.

* * *

><p>"K-K-K-Katie?"<p>

Katie slowly opened her eyes. As she did, she realized that she could not feel anything. Not her arms, not her legs, not her face... not anything.

"Katie! **KATIE!**"

Two voices were shouting at her. They sounded familiar, but Katie could not place them. Her eyes started to close again, but they shot back open when one of the voices spoke up again, louder.

"**KATIE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, COME TOWARDS THE LIGHT!**"

Katie moved her head to look at a bright yellow light, which was shining down on her from a small tunnel ahead of her. The blonde girl nodded in compliance, and then started to move. She struggled mightily, attempting to find the strength to follow the command of the girl calling out to her.

At first, nothing happened. But then, slowly and surely, Katie made progress. The light brightened as it inched closer and closer and closer. She started hearing the sound of something large and mechanical coming from the end of the tunnel. She did not know what was making it, but it seemed as if she was compelled to keep going towards it.

Finally, she was just inches away from the light and end of the tunnel. It was so bright that her vision whited out, obscuring her from seeing...

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>What's waiting on the other end for Katie? Is she even still alive? Find out in the next thrilling entry of the "Fireside Diaries"... coming later tonight!<p> 


	31. Don't Let it Snow

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Just to let you know, this is the second of two episodes posted this week. And since these are concurrent, please make sure you go back and read the previous episode before tackling this one. Otherwise, certain things won't make sense.

Time to pick up where we left off... sort of.

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Concurrent with (means some events occur at the same time with):  
><strong>- Entry #206 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 306)

* * *

><p>"Wind's starting to pick up," Milly said, as she stood with Holly and Katie.<p>

"You really think we're gonna get more than a foot of snow tonight?" questioned Holly.

"I know we're getting enough to get at least one snow day out of it! That's all I care about!"

Isabella cut into the conversation.

"Nevertheless, we'd all better get home. The last thing you want to happen is to get stuck in that mess of heavy, fluffy snow and cold, blustery winds."

With that, the girls headed out of the lodge. Isabella, Adyson, and Holly walked one way, while Milly and Katie went the other.

_Entry #207 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_It was an ordinary afternoon in early February. Well, ordinary except for the fact that a blizzard was bearing down on the Tri-State Area, ready to bury it in more than a foot of snow. But I had no worries. I kept this week's mid-week Fireside Girl meeting short. I was aware of the impending storm, and wanted to make sure we were all safe at home before a single snowflake hit the ground._

Isabella, Adyson, and Holly were engaging in some mindless chit-chat as they made their way towards a nearby bus stop.

_Well... that was the plan, anyway._

* * *

><p>"Hello?"<p>

Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro had just picked up the phone. After a few seconds, she turned to her daughter, who was sitting at the counter and working on her homework.

"Isa!"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Have you seen Katie?"

"Last time I saw her was a couple hours ago, when we all left the lodge. She walked home with Milly."

"Isa! Her mom is saying she never made it home."

Isabella gasped in shock.

**-  
>Entry #207 [FSD307] - Don't Let it Snow (01.14.03)<br>-**

_When I heard that Katie never got home, I immediately began to worry._

Isabella was pacing back and forth in her living room, very concerned that one of her girls was missing.

_Snow had already begun to fall, and it was getting heavier by the minute. It wouldn't be long before it started to accumulate. If Katie was still out there, we had to find her fast._

The doorbell rang. Isabella quickly raced to the front door to answer it. She unlocked the door and opened it.

"Addy!" she exclaimed. "Am I glad to see you!"

Adyson quickly stepped in to get out of the cold. She wasted no time in cutting to the chase.

"So, what happened to Katie?"

"I don't know! I texted her and she didn't respond."

Isabella handed Adyson her phone so she could read the text. It read 'Katie, are you alright? Your mom just called my mom asking where you are. Izzy.' Adyson then handed it back on their way to the closet, where Isabella got her winter coat.

"Milly texted me and thinks she might know where she is. She wouldn't give specifics, though. Holly's already on the way there. Just in case, we should go there as well."

"And the others?"

"Gretchen's parents won't let her out. Neither will Ginger's."

Isabella slipped on her coat and then shouted at her mom.

"We'll be right back, Mom!"

"Be careful, Isa!"

"We will, Mom!"

The two left Isabella's house and sprinted for the bus stop. Snow was indeed falling, but the ground was not completely covered as of yet.

"Should we really be doing this? Aren't we putting ourselves in danger by going out in the middle of a snowstorm?"

"You know our motto! 'Fireside Girls stick together!'"

"Funny. I swear it was 'Fireside Girls are always prepared.'"

"This is no time to be snippy, Addy! We've got a friend to rescue!"

The duo reached the stop just in time, for a bus headed downtown arrived at that very moment. They boarded, intending to meet up with their friends.

* * *

><p>The storm had intensified greatly by the time the bus had gotten downtown. The driver pulled up to the stop where Isabella and Adyson intended to get off. As they disembarked, a dispatch came up over the driver's radio.<p>

"Attention all Tri-State Area drivers! The mayor has declared that all non-emergency vehicles be off the road by 7 pm tonight and to stay off until further notice. All drivers are to suspend their routes and head for the nearest garage."

The driver turned to the girls, who were now on the snow-covered sidewalk.

"You sure you girls wanna get off here? It's not safe here in this part of the city."

"It's okay," Isabella reassured him. "We're Fireside Girls. We'll be okay."

The driver shrugged. "Meh. Your funeral."

He closed the doors and pulled away from the curb. The two girls headed towards the old abandoned industrial district, which was dark except for a few small blocks because they were unpowered during the current razing and reconstruction of the area.

"Not that I doubt your judgment," prefaced Adyson, "but I'm not so sure heading into pitch black darkness is the best thing to do with a blizzard about to dump a bajillion feet of snow on top of us!"

"This is where Milly thinks Katie is. Oh, and Addy? Bajillion is not a real number."

Isabella pulled out a pen-sized flashlight out of her coat pocket. She flipped it to Adyson, who caught it and turned it on. She motioned for her friend to lead the way, while she whipped out her phone so she could make a call.

* * *

><p>Milly heard her cell phone rang as she stood at a bus stop with Holly. She pulled it out and answered the call.<p>

"Isabella?"

"Milly! Where are you?"

"We're 20 blocks away, I think."

Holly leaned it to add her cents.

"The bus driver refused to take us any further! Said we're crazy!"

"We pretty much are," shouted Adyson from the other end.

"Addy! Yeesh... Milly, look, we're already here. Does this place you think Katie is in have some kind of identifying mark? A sign, logo, building number..."

"Oh, yes! She told me it once. It's building... 30B."

* * *

><p>"30B, got it!"<p>

Isabella hung up and got to work. She instructed Adyson to use the flashlight to look for numbers. The snow intensified as they searched, making it more difficult for them to see.

"Wait, got something!"

Adyson was pointing to a building to their left.

"3214."

"That's a start. We've gotta find the 3000 block."

The wind picked up. Snow on the ground began to drift, while snow in the air started flying more sideways than straight down. The girls had to bat flakes away from their eyes to keep them out.

"We don't have much time!"

The pair headed east. Adyson quickly shined the light on buildings as they went by. The set they were passing by had 3100 numbers.

"It has to be the next block over," deduced Isabella.

Before they could get there, though, the wind gusted another 20 miles per hour in an instant. Snow went flying everywhere, and the two of them were blinded by all of it.

"**EEK! I CAN'T SEE!**"

"**WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!**"

The wind died down a little bit, but it was still going fast enough to blow through their hair while still sending snow drifting towards them from ahead. They each held up an arm in front of them to shield their eyes as they made their way into the 3000 block. Snow was now falling at an accelerated rate, and any that was making it to the ground was piling up fast.

"Can you still see the numbers on the buildings?" asked Isabella.

"**WHAT?**" Adyson yelled back, as the wind made it hard to hear.

Isabella gently grabbed Adyson's flashlight-carrying arm and pointed it to a nearby building. They eventually found the number, learning that it was 3010. The two continued on, even as conditions deteriorated even more. They found buildings 3011, 3012, and 3013.

"This is like looking for a needle in a haystack!"

"**WHAT?**"

Isabella could not quite understand how she could hear Adyson but, in turn, she could not hear her. Suddenly, her ears perked up upon hearing something, or someone, else in the vicinity. It was faint, but she could just make it out.

"Wait! Is... is that the sound of a dog barking?"

"**WHAT?**"

The wind picked up once more, but this time, they were sustained. Isabella came to the realization that it had become too dangerous to continue searching, and that they had to make their own safety their top priority. But the winds were blowing the snow around so much that the two girls could only see each other and nothing more.

"**I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!**" Adyson yelled.

Starting to panic, Adyson released her grip on the flashlight. It fell into the snow, which was by now six- or seven-inches deep, and sank out of sight. Meanwhile, Isabella quickly scanned for somewhere to take refuge. Their best chance was to get into one of the warehouses and hope they could find a way in.

But she could not see one. She did, however, catch sight of a large object not too far away from them. It was not ideal, but it would have to do.

"We'll take shelter in there!"

"**WHAT?**"

Isabella grabbed Adyson by the hand and pulled her towards the large object she had seen. Their movement was slow, as they were already more than knee-deep in snow, but they knew that they would freeze to death if they stood out there much longer. With the wind blowing snow slowly into their faces, which reduced visibility to no more than an arm's length, it was not until Isabella nearly walked right into the giant object she had been leading them to that she saw it.

"A bulldozer!"

She jumped up onto the one-step ladder leading up to the passenger-side door and reached for the handle. Luckily, it was unlocked and had not yet completely frozen shut in the icy temperatures. She opened the door and then climbed into the cabin. Once safely in, Isabella turned and extended an arm out to Adyson to help pull her in.

They then shut the door.

"We should be safe," Isabella said. "For now, anyway."

"But it's still cold!" mumbled Adyson.

Isabella hopped over to the driver's seat and then searched for the ignition. Their good luck ran out there, because although she quickly found it, the key had not been left behind.

"I guess we're going to have to wait it out," Isabella admitted.

"Are you crazy? The weatherman said the blizzard's not supposed to let up 'til morning! I don't know about you, Izzy, but I'm too young to become a human popsicle!"

"Calm down! Holly and Milly are still out there."

Isabella pulled out her cell phone. She was about to speed-dial Holly when she realized that the storm was making it impossible to get a signal.

"If only we could contact them."

Isabella pocketed her phone once more and then hopped back over to Adyson. The two girls huddled together, trying to keep themselves warm and awake.

_Things were looking pretty bleak. We hadn't found Katie yet, Adyson and I were pinned down inside a cold bulldozer, and who knows what terrible fate has befallen Holly and Milly? They could be out there in the middle of this, too, with nowhere to go!_

* * *

><p>Milly breathed a sigh of relief after taking a sip from a freshly-prepared cup of hot cocoa. She was sitting in a chair in the lobby of a hotel, along with a number of others who were stuck there after having ventured out and not getting back home in time.<p>

"**MILLY!**"

Holly was not happy to see Milly relaxing even though their friends were supposedly out in the storm and in danger.

"I've been trying to call and text Isabella and the others to see where they are for the last ten minutes, and you've been here drinking hot cocoa?"

"But," Milly meekly responded, "it's really **GOOD **hot cocoa!"

She offered Holly to take a sip from her cup. She accepted it.

"That **IS **good hot cocoa! Where'd you get it from?"

Milly pointed to a self-serve hot beverage station near the front desk.

"Well, the others **ARE **resourceful enough to survive a little longer out there than most people, right?"

Milly nodded as she led Holly over.

* * *

><p>Isabella and Adyson were hugging each other for warmth as they sat in the bulldozer, while the blizzard raged around them, threatening to either freeze them to death or eventually bury them in two feet of snow.<p>

"Izzy..." Adyson said, solemnly. "If we don't live to see tomorrow, I just wanted to say..."

Isabella mustered what was left of her strength just to lift her head to look at her friend. Adyson waited, then continued.

"...I think I love Jerry."

Her friend looked dumbfounded. Adyson explained her reasoning.

"Sure, it's kinda weird that he tries to sniff my hair. But I think it's cute that he adores me. That, and for once, he's not one of your hand-me downs."

Isabella put a hand on Adyson's shoulder.

"Seriously, Addy... if we survive this, you're **SO **getting a relationship intervention."

Suddenly, without warning, the wind began dying down greatly. The girls took a peek out the front windshield and saw that snow was not drifting around them as much as it had been.

"Boy am I glad the weatherman was wrong for once!" boasted Adyson.

"Not so fast. Just because the storm's died down a little doesn't mean it's over with. Still, this gives us a chance to resume searching for Katie. Or, at the very least, find better shelter."

"Woof!"

"Woof? Adyson, you don't have to bark at me."

"Uh, Izzy? That wasn't me."

"**WOOF!**"

The two looked out the passenger-side window and they could just make out a large dog barking at them.

"I'm pretty sure that's a golden labrador retriever," identified Isabella. "But what's it doing out here?"

"**WOOF!**" he barked, even louder this time.

The two stepped out of the cabin of the bulldozer. Snow was still falling, but at a much slower rate than just minutes ago. They hopped down, landing in snow that went past their knees and almost to the top of the dog's legs.

"**WOOF WOOF! WOOF!**"

He started walking away. After a few steps, though, he stopped, turned, and barked at the girls again.

"**WOOF! WOOF WOOF, WOOF!**"

Isabella figured it out. "Ooh! I think he wants us to follow us!"

"**WOOF!**"

"Okay," Adyson agreed, "but how are we supposed to see where we're going?"

The two glanced to their left, and found a large flashlight sticking up out of a mound of snow.

"How convenient!" shouted Isabella.

* * *

><p>While following the dog, Isabella's phone picked up a signal. She knew it when she felt it vibrate in her pocket.<p>

"It's from Katie!" Isabella exclaimed, reading her text message. "She says she's in Danville Park!"

"I could've told you that," Adyson said, pointing out the Danville Park sign that they were passing under at that exact moment.

* * *

><p>The dog led them to an unusually large pile of snow not too far from the park entrance. Even more odd was that there was a wall of wood sticking out of it. The girls watched as the dog stopped in front of it and started barking furiously.<p>

"**WOOF WOOF! WOOF WOOF WOOF!**"

Isabella and Adyson looked at each other, and immediately thought the same thing.

"Katie?"

They moved in for a closer look, and upon doing so, saw part of a roof was sticking out of the snow as well. Before they could examine the scene even further, they heard something motorized heading their way. They turned to their right and were shocked to see Holly and Milly riding it. Holly steered it to a stop, and the two girls hopped off.

"Where'd you get a snowmobile?" queried Isabella.

"The hotel surprisingly had one," replied Holly, "so we told them about Katie, and they let us borrow it."

"Speaking of which," wondered Milly, "where is Katie?"

The dog barked again, getting the girls' attention. In the brief amount of time they had looked away, he had dug a tunnel. And he had done it without any tools, which was clearly evident that the tunnel was way too small for him to fit through.

"How'd he do that?" asked Adyson.

Isabella had a simple answer. "He's amazing. That's how!"

She walked over to take a look into the tunnel. But it was too dark to see anything. Isabella motioned for Holly to bring the snowmobile over and point one of the headlights into the hole in the snow. She peeked in to see if her hunch was right. Adyson did the same.

"K-K-K-Katie?"

They could see there was definitely someone down there. But it was not until said person's head started to move.

"It has to be her, Addy! Katie! **KATIE!**"

Adyson started yelling too. "**KATIE!**"

"**KATIE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, COME TOWARDS THE LIGHT!**"

They saw Katie slowly turn to look up towards them. Seeing her face confirmed that it was indeed her in the hole.

"Okay, girls! We need to get her out of there! Who knows how long she's been buried or what her current condition is!"

Isabella, Adyson, and Milly got to digging. The dog that had led them there helped as well. Holly stayed on the snowmobile, keeping the headlight focused on the hole. Eventually, they reached her head.

"**KATIE!**" all the girls exclaimed.

Katie smiled upon seeing the others. She then felt something slobbery licking her left cheek. She turned to see who was responsible.

"**TROOPER!**"

She gave him a hug.

"That's the stray dog?" Milly guessed, in shock.

Katie nodded in confirmation.

* * *

><p>After getting Katie out of the snow, minus her boots, they took her to the nearest open building, which was the hotel Holly and Milly had found earlier.<p>

"Mmmm," Adyson said as she sipped from a cup of cocoa. "This **IS **good!"

"Told ya so," Holly and Milly said in unison.

Meanwhile, Isabella was watching as an out-of-town pediatrician, who happened to be staying at the hotel and was in the lobby at the time, examined Katie. The blonde girl let the doctor do his thing as she sat there, draped in a number of blankets. Finally, he had a diagnosis.

"You're very lucky, young lady. You just have a mild case of hypothermia in the feet, but otherwise, you're A-OK!"

With that, the doctor left to head back to his room. Isabella immediately hugged Katie, relieved to see that she was alright.

"Oh, Katie! What were you thinking?"

"I didn't mean to stay out so late, Chief. You see, I was taking care of Trooper here, who's a stray, and fell asleep while I was watching him eat."

The other girls gathered around, wondering what Isabella was going to do with Katie, as well as Trooper.

"You selfishly put yourself in danger, as well as the rest of us since we had to come out and rescue you! There's only one course of action for this!"

Katie gulped, believing that she was about to receive a serious demerit. But, to her surprise, Isabella's harsh tone ceased when she instead bent down to rub Trooper on the head.

"We need to find Trooper here a good home! Isn't that right, boy?"

Trooper licked Isabella's face in appreciation, and she giggled in response.

_The blizzard picked up again shortly after we got to the hotel, forcing us to spend the night there. Thankfully, they made a special accommodation for us so we had some nice beds to sleep in._

* * *

><p><em>The storm was gone by sunrise the next morning, having dumped 12 to 15 inches of snow on the Tri-State Area. Us girls were stuck at the hotel since most of the roads to our homes wouldn't be plowed for at least one more day. But the main thoroughfares downtown were clear enough for someone from the animal shelter to drop by that afternoon to pick up Trooper.<em>

_Katie was sad to part ways with him, but the guy who came to get him ensured he already had a client looking for an older, more mature golden labrador retriever to adopt. Two days later, Trooper had a new, permanent home. And his new owner was kind enough to let Katie drop in for a visit whenever she wanted._

_I was okay with that. As long as Katie promised never to foolishly wander out into a snowstorm ever again. She's learned her lesson. And she's alive, most importantly. So, yeah, pretty much ignore the fact she said her goodbyes in the last entry._

_Oh, and for the record? I'm too young to be 'getting all over him.'_

_Though maybe in a few years..._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>And with that, this thrilling two-parter comes to an end! The Fireside Girls survived the Great Tri-State Area Blizzard, and got a new friend!<p>

Next week, it's back to the main season arc! The entire troop chips in for a 'Day in the Life of...' entry. Will Isabella's part have to deal with her trying to get some alone time with Phineas? What does Milly have planned for lunch? And will Ginger find out that her crush is sweet on Adyson? These questions and more might possibly be answered in the (hopefully on-time) next episode of "Fireside Diaries!"


	32. A School Day in the Life of

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

This week, you get a little bit of all the girls. This episode is also considered the midpoint of this season's arc. While there's some focus on the series' new love triangle, more traditional fans will undoubtedly be more excited about seeing some Phinbella here for the first time in a while.

It's also a long episode, so let me stop yapping and get you right into it!

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney. As does a certain song...

**Prerequisite (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #405-407 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 303-305)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #411 - Written by the members of Troop 46231,<br>Transcribed by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro_

_Isabella Garcia-Shapiro here! Can you believe it? We're more than 400 entries into this online blog, and I can't believe how popular it's gotten! Honestly, from the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you for supporting us in our endeavor!_

_That being said, Gretchen has decided that we should open our blog up to fan requests! Oddly enough, the most common request from you guys is for us to describe the life of a Fireside Girl... during an ordinary school day._

_I talked to all the girls, and we agreed to do it! Let me warn you, though... you'd be surprised to learn that being a Fireside Girl in school is not all "sunshine and rainbows" as you'd think._

**-  
>Entry #411 [FSD308] - A School Day in the Life of... (01.21.03)<br>-**

The sound of the warning bell being rung filled the air as the last few buses dropped off students in front of Danville Elementary School. Inside, on the second floor, the seven core members of Fireside Girl Troop 46231 were walking down the hall together, headed for their lockers. They were also all dressed in their hand-knit uniforms, which made them stand out amongst their peers.

_On this particular day, we came to school dressed in our uniforms. On days in which we have Fireside Girls' duties to attend to immediately after school, we dress up first thing in the morning and wear our uniforms all day. Our school allows it because they know of our organization's pristine reputation. The fact that we're also all on the Honor Roll helps, too._

_But my mind wasn't on the charity function we had volunteered for that day. It was on... Phineas._

"I will not rest until I get one minute alone with Phineas today!" declared Isabella. "Within the bounds of school rules, of course."

"But you already sit right behind him in class!" exclaimed Adyson.

"That doesn't mean I can **TALK **to him in it!"

"You can just pass notes back and forth, Chief," suggested Gretchen. "N-n-not like I've ever done that before. I just heard... other kids do that."

Gretchen then turned to look at Ginger, prompting the other girls to do the same. She huffed in protest.

"Hmph! It's not like they ever get to Baljeet anyway. Someone always intercepts them."

"Don't look at me!" barked Adyson.

Ginger had a confused look on her face. "Uh, I wasn't."

"Huh? Well, okay then."

Isabella motioned for Ginger to hand her pre-made notes over. The Asian girl complied, pulling out a paper-clipped stack of notes that, when taped together, would be enough to make up an entire sheet of notebook paper. Isabella promptly then deposited the notes into the nearest trash can.

"You'll thank me later," she said afterward.

At that point, it was time for Milly and Katie to break off.

"See you at lunch!" Milly said.

The older girls waved farewell as they continued towards the sixth-grade classrooms, leaving Milly and Katie to go to their lockers in the fifth-grade wing.

"Ready for that quiz today, Katie?"

"Test me! I'm ready!"

"Okay. Let's see. How 'bout... Massachusetts?"

Katie thought for a second. "Uh..."

"How about North Dakota?"

"Well..."

"Maybe Oklahoma? That's an easy one!"

Katie racked her brain, trying to come up with an answer. After a few seconds, though, it was obvious she did not have it.

"I was so confident when I went to bed last night!"

"Well, geography is the last subject of the day. You got a few hours to study up."

The girls finished putting their stuff in their lockers and headed off to class.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Isabella and the other girls had just gotten to their classroom. To Isabella's delight, Phineas was already in his seat, having a small chat with Ferb, as well as the other kids that had seats around him. She let out a dreamy sigh as she took her assigned seat, right behind her crush.<p>

"Hi, Phineas!" she greeted. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Just remembering the day we opened up that roadside truck stop atop that RV our parents rented for the road trip we went on."

"Hearing about the three-headed toad we had there is everyone's favorite part," added Ferb.

Before Phineas could pick up where he left off, the late bell rang. Mr. Worth entered the room from outside, closing the door behind him. He immediately went to the chalkboard and started knocking on it with his right fist, quickly quieting the room and drawing all the attention to him.

"Okay, class, I've got good news!" the teacher said to his students. "I've decided to give everyone new assigned seats!"

Most of the class groaned in dismay. Isabella, obviously, was the most worried about their teacher's decision.

"Just stay calm, Isabella," she told herself. "What's the worst thing that could happen? Like Mr. Worth would put me on the exact opposite side of the room from Phineas."

* * *

><p>15 minutes later, Phineas was sitting at the desk right next to the door. Isabella, meanwhile, had been reassigned to the complete opposite side of the room, at the farthest desk away possible.<p>

"Of course," she deadpanned.

Meanwhile, Ginger had ended up in the seat directly behind Phineas. And she was not happy with her arrangement, either... but for a different reason.

"Why is she lucky enough to get a seat next to him?" she whined.

Ginger was looking at Adyson, who had moved from sitting in front of Baljeet to being in the seat directly to his right, with both of them at the head of their respective rows.

"Why are you worried about her?" questioned Holly, who was now in the seat to Ginger's left. "The two've only spent one 'date' together."

"That's still one more date than I've had with him!"

Ginger's eyes narrowed as she watched Adyson innocently take out her science book, in preparation for the first subject of the day.

"I'm watching you."

Holly coughed to remind Ginger of her presence. "You realize you just said that out loud, right?"

"So? It's a free country!"

Holly had no idea how to respond to that.

"See? Free country."

Elsewhere in the classroom, Gretchen was just getting comfortable in her new seat, which was not anywhere close to any of the other Fireside Girls. Still, at least she knew some of her new desk neighbors from past escapades.

"Psst..."

Gretchen felt the person behind her tap her on the shoulder. It was Wendy Stinglehopper, asking her for a quick favor.

"I forgot all my pencils at home! Do you have one I can borrow for the day?"

Gretchen pulled out a pencil-holding case. It had room for four pencils, including the one that Gretchen already had in hand.

"Here you go!" Gretchen said, handing a pencil to Wendy.

"Thanks! I'll give it back, promise!"

Gretchen smiled. She knew she could trust Wendy. But her act of kindness quickly became an act of weakness, as the girls directly to her left and right also asked her to borrow a pencil from her.

"Sure," she agreed, thinking nothing of it.

Once she had handed her spares over, Gretchen found herself staring down at an empty case.

"It's okay. I'm sure I can survive one day without any reserves."

She then turned her attention to the front of the class as Mr. Worth started writing notes on the board for all of the students to copy.

* * *

><p><em>Usually, we're pretty good about paying attention in class. Unfortunately for Milly, this was a day in which she was rather... distracted.<em>

In the fifth-grade class that Milly and Katie were in, they were in the midst of Reading. One kid was standing up at his seat, reading aloud while everyone else was expected to follow along. Milly was reading, but not the story. She had a letter that had been sent by her pen pal that was she was looking at, hidden from view because she had it resting on her lap.

"'I liked the last letter about your adventures as Class President, Milly. My sis tells me that Fireside Girls are good at singing and dancing...'"

She continued reading on, but her eyes widened when her pen pal got to his point.

"He wants me... he wants me... he wants me to..."

"Milly!"

Milly suddenly snapped to attention, hearing the teacher call her name.

"Yes, Mrs. McCalister!" she exclaimed, jumping out of her seat.

"Next three paragraphs."

Milly was in trouble. She did not know where they were in the story. Thankfully, her eyes only had to dart slightly to her right. Katie was pointing at where the last kid had left off. Milly was relieved that they were still on the same page she was on... barely.

"'So, just like that, Jerome got down on all fours and got a good whiff of that pie...'"

Relieved to have saved her friend from embarrassment, Katie revealed that she, too, had a sheet of paper sitting on her lap. It was a list of the state capitals, and she was going back to try and memorize them all once more.

* * *

><p><em>Before we knew it, it was lunch time. And even though I was no longer seated next to Phineas in class, I knew there would also be a guaranteed spot by him at lunch!<em>

Isabella and Gretchen emerged from the lunch line, each holding a tray of food.

"You okay, Chief?" Gretchen asked.

Isabella nodded. "I guess. It's just... I finally got my dream of ending up in the seat directly behind Phineas, only to have it taken away less than a month into the school year!"

"At least you still have lunch to look forward to! Look!"

Gretchen pointed out that there was no one sitting either to Phineas' left or his right. But there were several kids in that aisle, and all of them were heading in his direction. Isabella had to act fast.

Leaving her friend behind, Isabella hustled into the aisle. A human obstacle course blocked her way, forcing her to duck and weave through traffic, both of the moving and of the stationary kind. At one point she even had to throw her tray over a larger kid, slide in between his legs, and get to the other side, stand up, and catch her lunch without so much as spilling a drop. His response to that.

"Can you teach me to do that?"

Isabella did not hear his request, as all of her focus was on the open seats by Phineas. Or, rather, open seat, as in singular. Buford, for some reason, had decided to park himself next to Phineas, on the left side. With her window closing, Isabella quickly made a beeline for the other seat. There was just one problem.

The seat there was missing. Isabella could not believe her eyes.

"I feel the same way, girl," said Irving, who was sitting on the other side of the table, opposite the missing seat.

Isabella had no choice. She had to ask Buford to give up his seat. But before she could...

"First!" he exclaimed.

"What?"

"I called first. No take-backsies!"

"Buford Van Stomm, you very well know that one of the seats next to Phineas is mine, as seeing as you're in the only actual seat, I have to ask you to kindly vacate the premises."

"You heard me call it! Everyone did! Whatcha gonna do about it?"

_I intended to do something about it. Unfortunately, Mr. Worth, the lunch teacher monitor for that day of the week, happened to be passing by at that very moment._

"There are plenty of seats to go around, Miss Shapiro."

"But..."

Mr. Worth glared at her. "Oh, I'm sure a Fireside Girl knows better than to talk back to an adult."

Isabella had no choice. She walked away from Phineas and the others, forced to find the first available seat at the table... which was six seats away, and conveniently, next to where Gretchen had decided to sit down.

"Of all of the days he had to remember..." huffed Isabella.

"Well, Chief... you **ARE **in uniform."

She grumbled in response. "Don't remind me."

Elsewhere in the cafeteria, Ginger had more luck in scoring a seat next to her crush. In fact, she was sharing her lunch with him. Or, to be more precise, was giving most of it to him.

"I do not know what I would do without you," he said. "If not for your generosity, I am sure that I would starve."

Ginger giggled as Baljeet ate a forkful of the spaghetti and meatballs she had bought with her money.

"Oh, Baljeet! You're so cute when you're hungry!"

Suddenly, Adyson sat down at the table, in the seat on the other side of Baljeet. The brunette was about to dig into her own lunch when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Ginger was glaring at her.

"Isn't there somewhere else you can sit?" she pondered aloud.

"Not really," Adyson calmly replied. "Why else do you think I'm here?"

Ginger tried to think of a comeback. But all she could come up with was...

"So? It's a free country!"

Adyson was confused. "Uh, what?"

Ginger leaned over, temporarily blocking Baljeet from the tray, so she could give Adyson a warning.

"I'm watching you."

With that, Ginger picked up her tray and walked away from the table. That left Baljeet without lunch once more, save for the spaghetti twirled around his plastic fork.

"What did you do to ruffle her feathers?" questioned Baljeet.

"I dunno. Weird."

Adyson then nonchalantly handed her milk carton to him, which he accepted without hesitation.

"Summer belongs to you, ooh ooh! Summer belongs to you, yeah yeah!"

Suddenly, the two turned towards the stage in the multi-purpose room, as did everyone else there. Milly was up there, singing and dancing her heart out.

"Summer belongs to everyone, so have some fun, there's nothing better to do! Summer belongs to you!"

At one of the tables, Holly just had to ask...

"What's she doin'?"

Katie looked up from her state capital study sheet, which she had brought with her to lunch, and handed Holly the letter Milly had been reading in class.

"Her pen pal dared her to?" she questioned after reading it. "Wait, when did Milly get a pen pal?"

Milly kept up her act even as Mr. Worth reached the stage and motioned for her to get down.

"Summer belongs to you, ooh yeah! Summer belongs to you, yeah ooh! Just remember that you can do it and when you're through, it'll change your point of view! Summer belongs to you... dadadada dada dada-dada-duhduhda dada da da da da, **BA BUM!**"

Having finished her act, Milly finally realized how much trouble she was in. She got a few cheers from the other students as she jumped off the stage, handed the wireless microphone to Mr. Worth, and headed out, in the direction of the principal's office.

_Oh, Milly! The funny thing about it, though, is that her pen pal only "dared" her because he thought she wouldn't actually do it! Guess he thought wrong on that one!_

* * *

><p><em>Having missed an opportunity to sit by Phineas at lunch, I'd have to wait until the bus ride home to get another chance. But that doesn't mean the other girls' didn't have an eventful afternoon.<em>

The students in Mr. Worth's class were in the middle of a Math lesson. He was in the midst of a lecture regarding improper fractions when the door suddenly opened. Holly came in, with a wooden hall pass in hand. She had just returned from the restroom. Mr. Worth continued on without interruption as Holly placed the pass down on his desk, and then walked back to hers.

As she made her way over to her seat, a few of the kids started snickering. She had no idea that there was a small piece of toilet paper sticking out of the top of the back of her skirt. None the wiser, she took a seat.

"Psst..." murmured Ginger. "Holly!"

Holly heard Ginger, but not before Mr. Worth did.

"Miss Hirano!"

"But..."

"But?"

Mr. Worth walked over, interested in what excuse Ginger was going to pass off as good enough for him to accept. She made the wise choice by not saying another word.

"That's what I thought."

Ginger slumped down in her seat in shame. More snickering commenced as a couple of other kids slowly spotted what was coming out of Holly's skirt. It was not long before Holly realized all of it was directed at her. She did not know why, but she was determined to find out.

"What's going on?" she asked, spinning around to face the student sitting behind her.

He was about to tell her, but...

"**THAT'S IT! POP QUIZ!**" yelled Mr. Worth.

"Awww..." groaned the rest of the class.

"**YES!**" shouted Baljeet.

Buford, sitting behind him, gave Baljeet a slap in the back of the head.

"I mean no, **NO!**"

Buford smirked. "That's better."

"And you have the Fireside Girls to thank for it!" their teacher declared.

"**I OBJECT!**" bellowed Adyson, jumping out of her seat.

Mr. Worth, now at his wit's end, turned his anger on her. Seeing she had made a grave error, she tried to explain her reasoning.

"I mean, Mr. Worth, with all due respect... I feel that, not only as a Fireside Girl but also as Class President, that you had kinda rushed to judgment. Thus, I request you should pardon us from the quiz."

Mr. Worth nodded, apparently seeing Adyson's point.

"I see."

* * *

><p>Mr. Worth closed the door...<p>

"This is **SO **not what I meant," grumbled Adyson.

...leaving Adyson standing out in the hall, as well as Isabella, Holly, and Ginger.

"I've never gotten a **ZERO **on a quiz before!" screamed Ginger, in a panic.

"Ginger, none of us have," Isabella told her.

"Yeah, but your Mom's not gonna ground you 'til high school when she finds out!"

"It's okay. If we're quiet, maybe Mr. Worth will have a change of heart and let us take a make-up or something. Oh, and Holly?"

Isabella whispered in Holly's ear, having figured out why everyone was snickering. Holly blushed immediately upon hearing it.

"For Jiminy Cricket's sake!" she groaned.

* * *

><p>Speaking of quizzes, Milly and Katie were in the midst of their scheduled one on state capitals. And to make matters worse, it was an oral quiz. Their teacher had written all 50 states on the board. One at a time, a student would be called up. That kid would choose two and give their capitals. The quiz was pass-fail, so if you could not identify two correctly, you failed. And after each student went, the two states they attempted were erased from the board.<p>

Milly, having long returned from her visit to the principal's office for her stunt at lunch, had passed on her attempt earlier in the quiz.

"Katie!"

Katie gulped as she got out of her seat and made her way up to the front of the room. She was called up pretty late in the going, as her turn came up with only 12 states left on the chalkboard. Mrs. McCalister had a gradebook at the ready, waiting for Katie to make her two picks.

"Okay... Minnesota. That's Saint Paul."

Her teacher nodded. Katie had no reason to be elated, though, because that was the only one she knew for sure out of those left. She quickly scanned the board for her second pick. She ran the options in her head.

"North Dakota? Don't remember. Iowa? Can't recall. New Jersey? No one cares. Texas? Argh, I don't know either!"

Before she could finish her run-through, Mrs. McCalister got impatient and picked one for her.

"Oklahoma."

"Oklahoma? Okay, Oklahoma. The capital of Oklahoma is... is..."

Everyone waited to see if Katie could come up with the right answer. She did not know what it was, so she took a guess.

"Oklahoma City?"

Mrs. McCalister waited for a second before responding.

"Correct."

Katie breathed a sigh of relief. She strutted back to her seat as the teacher erased Minnesota and Oklahoma from the board. Once seated again, she gave Milly a thumbs up. And Milly gave her one in return.

* * *

><p>The final bell rang as students filed out of Danville Elementary, on their way to their buses.<p>

"Thanks for convincing Mr. Worth to let us take the quiz after all," Isabella told Gretchen in gratitude, "even if we had to do it over recess."

"No problem, Chief."

"Can we just agree **NOT** to **EVER **wear our uniforms to school again?" suggested Holly.

"Second!" Adyson agreed, before even being prompted to.

"Motion carried," Isabella said. "We stick out too much."

"I'll say," Katie said as she handed Milly back her pen pal's letter.

They started heading for the bus, but Gretchen was stopped when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around, and as she did, Wendy handed back her pencil.

"Told you!"

Wendy then ran off for her bus, waving goodbye as she did. Gretchen pulled out her pencil case and opened it, showing that only the pencil she had used today was in it. And now the one she had lent to Wendy could join.

"At least someone's honest."

_What a wild day at school. Hopefully, we'll never live through something like that again._

Isabella led the squad onto the bus.

_Still, there's one thing that'll put a positive spin on a terrible day._

She raced to where Phineas was sitting, claiming the seat before anyone else could get it. It helped that Ferb decided to break 'assignment' by sitting across the aisle instead of alongside his stepbrother, as he usually did.

"Need a seat buddy?" she cooed.

"Sure!" Phineas replied.

Isabella let out a sigh, finally getting some alone time with Phineas. So to speak. Soon after, all the buses roared to life, and they started heading off towards their destinations.

_So, there you go! A day in the life of a Fireside Girl at school! Hope you enjoyed it, 'cause we're sure not doing this again._

_Ever._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Again, long episode, so just gonna jump right into the preview...<p>

Next week, an episode you thought you'd never get to see a sequel to... gets a sequel! It kicks off a month of fantasy-themed episodes, and all I can tell you about this first entry is... magical creatures.


	33. A Magical Bluebird II: Make Me a Monster

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

The third quarter of the third season has arrived, and for the next few weeks, this series will be doing a four-week special event called 'Fireside Fantasy Month.' The girls of Troop 46231 will be sharing some fantasy tales with you, starting with a sequel to a second season episode originally penned by Katie!

Unfortunately, this means this season's main story arc is being sidelined. I know a lot of you are interested in seeing how a certain love triangle straightens itself out, and don't worry, it will. The last three episodes of the season will ensure that. In the meantime, please stick around these next few weeks, as there's a lot of light-hearted fun to be had in these stand-alone tales.

That being said, let's kick off 'Fireside Fantasy Month' with the long-awaited sequel to "The Magical Bluebird."

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney. The song featured in this episode belongs to its respective owner.

**Prerequisite (i.e. read that first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #328 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 201)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #415 - Written by Katie and Milly<em>

_(Katie)  
>Previously, in the "Fireside Diaries"...<em>

_I was walking through the forest one day when I found a bluebird. It seemed like it was in trouble, so I decided to follow it and see if I could help. While trying to tail it, I bumped into Gretchen, who was unconscious on the ground. Once she was awake, I checked on her. She seemed to be alright before she started transforming into a dodo bird before my very eyes! She herself then ran off before I could figure out how to change her back._

_As I tried to find Gretchen, I ran into Ginger, who was now this cute little pink nine-inch tall dragon! Together, we started running into the others. Isabella, the pretty white unicorn! And Adyson, the leprechaun with hair between her toes!_

_There was supposed to be more, but then the story was never continued because Gretchen said we couldn't put fantasy tales in the troop's online diary._

_(Milly)  
>That is, until now!<em>

_(Katie)  
>Thanks for cutting me off, Milly!<em>

_(Milly)  
>You're welcome!<em>

_(Katie)  
>Anyway, after reading the comments for the entry that had my story in it, Isabella decided to allow me to continue it! Yea! But I needed help...<em>

_(Milly)  
>...and that's where I come in! Katie's asked me to sign on as co-author for the follow-up to her original entry. Two creative minds, two times the zaniness!<em>

_(Katie)  
>Uh, Milly? Zaniness isn't a word.<em>

_(Milly)  
>Yes, it is! Check the dictionary!<em>

_(Katie)  
>Huh. So it is. Anyway, we hope you enjoy our fun story!<em>

**-  
>Entry #415 [FSD309] - A Magical Bluebird II: Make Me a Monster (01.28.03)<br>-**

An angry Adyson asked again why Katie and her band of magical creatures had come to her meadow.

"Why you tryin' to take away me pot o' gold?"

"We weren't!" Katie exclaimed, as Isabella and Ginger trotted up behind her. "We're just looking for a bluebird!"

"You mean that one?" cut in Isabella, who pointed a hoof at the top of the pot.

Everyone turned in the direction she was pointing, and sure enough, the bluebird had come to rest atop Adyson's gold.

"The bluebird wants me pot o' gold? The fiend!"

"Get it!" Katie shouted.

All four of them leaped at the bluebird, attempting to catch it. The bluebird flew dodged, resulting in the foursome all bumping heads and collapsing in a heap atop the pot of gold. The bluebird laughed mockingly at them, and then stuck its tongue out, for good measure.

"I'm beginning to think that that bluebird isn't a nice person," Katie deduced.

"If it's a person in the first place," Gretchen theorized.

It started to fly off.

"We have to catch it!" shouted Katie. "It may tell us how to change you all back!"

_(Katie)  
>And so, Katie the human girl, Ginger the dragon, Isabella the unicorn, and, now, Adyson the leprechaun chased after the bluebird. Catching it was the only way to figure out what was going on.<em>

_(Milly)  
>Why is narrator you repeating what actual you is saying?<em>

_(Katie)  
>It's not repeating, it's rephrasing!<em>

Before they left, though, Adyson was seen pulling out a key fob. She pressed a button on it, arming the security system for her pot of gold.

* * *

><p><em>(Milly)<br>Before they knew it, the girls had wandered into a dense fog..._

_(Katie)  
>Not yet, Milly! Ahem! Actually, the foursome stumbled into a cemetery.<em>

"Good thing we're passing through here during the day," Ginger said, breathing a sigh of relief. "If it was night, I'd be afraid."

"I can arrange that!" stated Isabella.

Her magical horn began shining like a disco ball once more...

"That's okay," Katie interrupted. "We'll stick with daytime, thanks."

"I second that!"

Everyone stopped upon hearing the new voice. They scanned the area, looking for the source.

_(Katie)  
>Of course, I knew who it was.<em>

"Holly? Is that you?"

Holly floated up out of the ground, in between Katie and a grave marker.

"It be one o' the unliving!" Adyson screamed. "Ginger, use ye flame to make she be dead again!"

"I'm not that kind of dragon!" shouted Ginger.

"Ye be a dragon, yet ye not of the fire-breathing type? What be wrong with ya?"

"I don't see you doing anything, bearded girl who's suddenly of Irish descent!"

"Girls, calm down!" interjected Katie. "Lemme handle this."

_(Katie)  
>I pulled out the number one weapon used to scare off creatures of Holly's kind.<em>

"**BE GONE!**"

She pulled out a spray bottle filled with water and used it on Holly. But it did not faze Holly at all. In fact, the water just seemed to pass right through her.

"That's odd. It works whenever I play that garden defense game."

"I'm not a zombie," grumbled Holly.

"You're not. Well, then, I guess that makes you a..."

Katie reached into a pouch that Isabella was now wearing, for some unexplained reason, and found a small vial filled with a liquid. She chucked it at Holly. But just like before, it went right through her. The vial hit the grave marker instead, smashing into pieces upon impact.

"You're not affected by sacred water either? **WHAT KIND OF MONSTROSITY ARE YOU?**"

Holly answered, in an annoyed tone. "Girl, I'm not a vampire. I'm a ghost."

"A ghost? That's silly! Ghosts aren't magical creatures."

"Don't look at me! You're the one writing this story."

"Holly! Don't break the fourth wall!"

_(Katie)  
>Yeah, Katie! Don't break the fourth wall!<em>

_(Milly)  
>You're telling yourself telling Holly not to break the fourth wall to <strong>NOT<strong> break the fourth wall? That's breakcep-_

_(Katie)  
>Milly!<em>

_(Milly)  
>But it's funny!<em>

"Also," Holly continued, "I may not be a creature, but I **AM **magical! Watch!"

Despite being a ghost, Holly started drawing a transmutation circle on the concrete path that went through the cemetery using a piece of chalk. Once she was done, Holly then pulled out a small brown paper bag. And out of that, she produced two slices of wheat bread, two slices of ham, a slice of swiss cheese, three leaves of lettuce, a plum tomato, and a small squeeze bottle of mayonnaise.

"Eh, maybe not."

Holly had changed her mind about the mayo, and put in back in the bag. She then spread the other ingredients on the ground, all within the transmutation circle.

"You don't think she's gonna feed that to us, do you?" Isabella whispered to Katie.

Everything was now ready.

"**SHOW TIME!**"

Holly clapped her hands, and instantly everything in the circle was enveloped in a six-foot tall pillar of light. No one was able to see inside it until the light faded. When it did, they all saw that the items had all been combined into a sandwich.

"Neat, huh?"

"Yeah," Isabella nodded in agreement. "One thing... you used alchemy. Alchemy is not magic."

"Alchemy, magic, to-may-to, to-mah-to! Who cares?"

"Exactly," Katie replied. "Now, back to more important things... have you seen a bluebird pass by here?"

"A bluebird? Oh, yes, I did! He went south-southwest of here!"

Holly pointed in the direction she was referring to.

_(Katie)  
>And so, the search continued!<em>

The group headed off, with Holly the ghost now joining them. Before leaving, though, Holly went back to get her sandwich. She took a bite of it and smiled in satisfaction, not caring that it was going right through her and falling onto the grave she was hovering over.

* * *

><p><em>(Milly)<br>And before they knew it, the girls had wandered into a dense fog..._

_(Katie)  
>Not yet!<em>

_(Milly)  
>Awww...<em>

The five of them were now making their way through a cornfield, where the stalks were seven-feet high. Only Holly could see above it, and that was because she could float.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Isabella started singing.

"Everybody wants to live, like they wanna live. And everybody wants to love, like they wanna love. And everybody wants to be... closer to free!"

Adyson had a snarky response to the lyrics.

"What are ye, 30?"

"It was a good show, Adyson. Don't judge."

"Keep it down with the obscure references," Katie told them both. "I think I hear something, or someone, nearby."

They all went quiet as they stopped moving. With no noise coming from their end, they could hear the sound of humming. Katie pushed aside a nearby cornstalk and took a peek on the other side.

"What is it?" asked Ginger.

"Nothing to worry about," Katie replied, pulling the stalk aside for the others to see. "It's just a hummingbird."

The girls breathed a sigh of relief. The hummingbird, on the other hand, seemed scared of them, as it took off from its resting place and flew away.

"Awww," cooed Isabella. "I think it was scared of big ol' us."

Suddenly, a deafening roar filled the air.

_(Katie)  
>Unfortunately, Isabella couldn't have been more wrong...<em>

The group of five heard the sound of corn stalks being trampled or ripped out of the soil, from about a quarter-mile to their right. And it was getting closer.

"May I kindly suggest making a run for it? Like, now?"

"Good idea, Isabella," agreed Katie. "Go, **GO!**"

Katie, Adyson, and Ginger all mounted Isabella, and she carried them off. Holly, using her ghost powers, floated after them. Little did they know, though, that by moving, whatever was chasing them started to pick up speed.

"Ye foul beast is giving chase!" Adyson exclaimed, matter-of-factly.

Suddenly, the creature leaped out of the stalks and pounced in Holly's direction.

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!**" she screamed.

It passed right through her without so much as leaving a scratch.

"Oh! **DUHHHHH!**" Holly said, rolling her eyes.

The creature started gaining on Isabella and the others. Katie gasped as she identified what was chasing them.

"I think that's a chupacabra!"

"Is that what I am?" the creature said in stride. "So menacing... chupacabra!"

The girls all looked at each other, recognizing the person voicing it immediately.

"Buford?"

"**RAWR! **That's right! And I want me some nice goat meat!"

"Eew!" groaned Isabella. "First, that's disgusting, and second... I'm not a goat! I'm a unicorn!"

"**THAT IS NOT TRUE!**" shouted yet another about-to-be-identified voice.

They all looked ahead and saw a billy goat waving a hoof at them. Isabella came to a stop right in front of him.

"You are not a true unicorn, because **TRUE** unicorns are **PINK**!"

Katie immediately knew who they were talking to. "Baljeet!"

"Stand back, ladies!" he exclaimed, as he trotted in between the girls and the charging Buford.

Buford had been focused on taking a bite out of Isabella, but he became distracted when he saw Baljeet make a gesture at him.

"Why do you not pick on someone of the same gender, you cryptid ruffian?"

Baljeet then stuck his tongue out at Buford. That was all he needed to send the chupacabra over the edge.

"**THAT'S IT! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!**"

Baljeet the goat took off into the stalks, in a westerly direction. He used his horns to clear path for him to traverse. Buford turned away from the girls, going after his new prey.

_(Katie)  
>And just like that, Baljeet made the ultimate sacrifice...<em>

As Holly caught up to the group, Ginger voiced her genuine concern for Baljeet.

"He's going to be alright, right?"

"It be the bravest thing I seen a goat-boy do," admitted Adyson. "It also be the daftest!"

"He'll be fine," Katie assured them both. "I'm sure everything that's happened today has been some wild fantasy I've dreamed up. And no ill will ever befalls those in it."

"How 'bout dreaming up an end to this?" questioned Isabella. "And soon! My hooves are getting a little worn out."

Katie hopped off of Isabella.

"Not until we find that magical bluebird and ask it change all of you back!"

She then led the group out of the cornfield, and onto their next destination...

* * *

><p><em>(Katie)<br>_…

_(Milly)  
>Now?<em>

_(Katie)  
>Yes. Now!<em>

_(Milly)  
>Finally! Ahem... before they knew it, the girls had wandered into a dense fog...<em>

Katie was now walking on her own two feet, leading the way. Isabella was to her left - Adyson and Ginger were still riding on her - while Holly floated along to her right. The fog was so thick that it was difficult to see more than a few feet away in all directions.

"I can barely see anything!" grumbled Ginger.

"It sure is as thick as pea soup in here," muttered Holly.

"Y'know, I never got that expression."

"Have you ever had pea soup?"

Ginger tried to recall if she had, and then, it hit her.

"Ohhhhhhh..."

"The bluebird's gotta be here somewhere," Katie said, steering the chatter back on-topic.

"If it is," Isabella thought out aloud, "it'll be easy for him or her to hide. If only we could get a better idea of where we were."

_(Katie)  
>Luckily, I knew exactly where we were.<em>

**SPLASH!**

Isabella stopped immediately as she was splashed in the face with water. The fog cleared up just enough for her and the others to realize why.

Katie was now laying face-first in some water, which she had fallen into after slipping at a short drop-off in the land. As she got up, she spat out some water.

"There's only one place in the Tri-State Area with a water purity rating of 7.5! We're at Lake Nose!"

"Lake Nose?" repeated Isabella. "How did we get all the way out here?"

Before anyone could come up with an answer, the girls began to hear chirping.

"I'd recognize that tweeting anywhere," Katie exclaimed. "It's Mr. Bluebird!"

They then heard another sound. One of someone, or something, growling.

"Great," grumbled Adyson. "Buford's back."

"It's not him," Katie pointed out, as the creature growled once more. "This growl sounds more... feminine."

Katie turned to her friends.

"Okay, we need to get out on that lake!"

Suddenly, Gretchen the dodo bird stepped out of the fog, with a smile on her beak.

"I've already got that taken care of!"

Gretchen stepped aside, revealing a motorboat that was ready to go. The girls rejoiced with enthusiasm.

* * *

><p>Katie steered the boat to the middle of Lake Nose. Thankfully, the fog dissipated more and more the further they got from shore. That allowed the others to easily scan the water for any sign of a bluebird.<p>

"Should we really be this far out?" queried Gretchen. "The chance of any flight-based animal being present an extended period of time over open water is very miniscule."

"Gretchen is right," said Isabella in agreement. "Maybe we should stay closer to shore."

Katie was inclined to agree, as were the others. She was about to steer them towards the nearest shore at that point, which was the park's local beach area. But she instead cut the engine when she heard that feminine growl again.

"Katie, what are you doing?"

"Shhh!" Katie shushed, putting up a finger to her lips. "I think there's something underneath us."

Isabella and Gretchen peered over one side of the boat, while Holly and Ginger looked over the other. Adyson, though, knew exactly what was about to happen.

"I seen way too many Irish movies to have not seen this be coming."

As if on cue, something large rose out of the water, just in front of the boat. The girls all held onto the sides of the boat for dear life, as the creature's exit from the water pushed waves out in all directions. Once her exit was complete, the lake's water returned to its normal, calm state.

_(Katie)  
>It was then that we were greeted by the biggest, long-necked girl-turned-creature yet!<em>

"I'm the Loch Ness Monster!" Milly exclaimed, greeting her friends in her new form.

_(Katie)  
>Wait, wait, wait! How did we go from cute creatures in the original to frightening ones in this one?<em>

_(Milly)  
>There's only so many of the former, you know.<em>

"Milly!" Katie exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

"I dunno," Milly replied. "One minute, I was at the mall shopping for a swimsuit, and the next, I've got a neck the size of an apatosaurus!"

Suddenly, Milly growled a third time. Or rather, her stomach did.

"Boy, being the Loch Ness Monster makes a girl hungry! Anybody got anything to eat?"

Everyone turned to Katie, who was the only one amongst them capable of having pockets to carry food in it.

"Sorry."

Luckily, another option presented itself. Upon hearing it, Milly turned her head to the left. Flying right by her, at that very moment, was...

"It's Mr. Bluebird!" Katie exclaimed. "Finally! Milly! See if you can get him to stop and help us!"

_(Milly)  
>Milly the Loch Ness Monster obliged her friend's request by turning towards the bluebird... and eating it one gulp.<em>

"Mmmm..." she said, licking her lips. "Yum yum!"

* * *

><p>In front of the computer, at the Fireside Girls' Lodge in downtown Danville...<p>

"**YOU CAN'T DO THAT!**" Katie shouted at Milly.

"Why not?" Milly questioned. "It adds... drama! My pen pal said a little bit drama makes stories better!"

Displeased with that answer, Katie got up from her chair and stomped angrily towards the door. Milly jumped up and gave chase.

"I was gonna have me spit it back out!"

"You weren't supposed to eat it in the first place!"

"This is supposed to be a collaboration! The one thing I contribute..."

The pair's voices faded as they left the building. Off to the right, Isabella, Gretchen, and Holly were standing there, dumbfounded as to what had just happened.

"Well, we're off to a fine start," Isabella commented with sarcasm.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Seriously, sometimes I wonder how weird I can make Milly before I start worrying that someone will complain I've gone too out-of-character with her. Hopefully I'm still okay in that respect... but we'll see.<p>

Also, give yourself a pat on the back if you figured out what show Isabella referenced upon singing its theme song...

You science fiction buffs will enjoy the second entry of 'Fireside Fantasy Month,' as the girls race to stop some aliens from destroying the universe. Would you believe the key to stopping them... lies with Gretchen? See what happens, next time!


	34. The Emperor of the Cosmos

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Two bookkeeping items to deal with first...

One, a couple weeks ago this story hit a very big landmark. It is now my most read story ever! In the stats era of this website, that is. The story that originally held the record started before began providing view statistics and the like to users, so the number of actual hits the previous holder had will never actually be known. Still, this is a great accomplishment and I have only all of you loyal readers to thank! Thanks for all your support.

Two, if you don't have me on Author Alert and/or you don't check my profile page, which I update on Mondays, you're probably unaware that I started my first "Gravity Falls" fanfic a couple weeks ago. It's called "13 Wishes," and the third chapter of that is being posted tonight. If you're a fan of that Disney toon, check it out!

Now, onto this week's episode, the second entry of 'Fireside Fantasy Month.' Remember at the end of the last season when I asked for ideas for future episodes? This episode is the first of two submitted by you guys that I decided to use. The idea for tonight's episode is from Coltar Mortel - and his idea is the reason I'm doing this themed month. Coltar, I loved your idea, but there was absolutely no way I could mold it in a way without completely throwing certain canon bits of the series storyline out the window. So I decided to spin this as an alternate universe (or AU) stand-alone tale. If you're reading this, I hope this is acceptable to you.

This episode is also Gretchen's solo entry for this season. It also features the only appearance this season for one of my created characters. Hope you all enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #416 - Written by Gretchen<em>

_It is true when they say that "In space, no one can you hear you scream."_

_But I bet those people never said anything about what happens in a space station..._

Gretchen was sitting down in a chair positioned next to a bed in the station's sick bay. She had tears streaming down from eyes as her hands were clasped over the left hand of the humanoid alien male lying before her.

"It is the only way," he said to Gretchen.

"But... it's not fair!" Gretchen cried.

"To save... the galaxy... I... must..."

Before she could object any further, she felt his hand go limp. The alien's chest also stopped moving, insinuating that his heart had also stopped.

"No," Gretchen said, shaking her head in denial. "No, you can't! No... **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**"

**-  
>Entry #416 [FSD310] - The Emperor of the Cosmos (02.04.03)<br>-**

_You're probably wondering, what was with the space station, and the alien, and me mourning him? Well, to tell you all that, I'd have to first start from about four bicupids ago..._

_In layman's terms, that means 48 hours..._

Aboard a large alien space cruiser, roughly 5,000,000 km away from Earth, a platoon of Earth soldiers was making its way towards the ship's docking bay. They were under heavy fire from the occupants of the ship. One of the soldiers waved with their arm, motioning the others to keep moving. Eventually, they reached the bay. Now they just had to wait for their ride to get there.

"Keep firing!" barked Isabella, who was commanding the squad.

Her lackeys complied, firing away as their enemy started rushing into the docking area. The opposition consisted of humanoid aliens with yellow skin and whose head resembled that of a squid.

"If we live through this," shouted a random girl in the platoon, "I'm never eating seafood again!"

Isabella's squad kept firing away, keeping the enemy at bay. Meanwhile, she stopped and hunkered down behind a crate-like object. Raising her hand up to her ear, she activated the communications headset built into her space helmet.

"Gretchen, where's that evac?"

She immediately heard Gretchen's voice in her ear. "Arriving now, Chief!"

Isabella looked towards the open bay doors. Sure enough, a medium-sized transport ship was pulling in. As it came in for a landing, Isabella started signaling her troops to make a break for it. She, along with another soldier, provided cover fire.

"Eat this, Corruptor!"

Isabella fired off a shot from her rifle, one of pink laser beams, and hit an enemy in the helmet, knocking him off of his feet.

"**YES! **Have a nice nap!"

By this point, the transport ship was now hovering in place. As it spun around so that it was facing the exit once more, the platoon started climbing aboard. The process continued until only Isabella and her cover companion were left. The latter kept blasting away as the enemy soldiers rushed to their position, while Isabella was helped up by her troops.

Once safely on board, the squad turned their attention to their comrade. But before Isabella and a couple others could pull her into the ship, the soldier was dealt a critical blow, as a blue laser pulse shot hit her right between the eyes. The soldier's helmet shattered instantaneously, as did her head, which exploded into dozens and dozens of gears and sprockets. Isabella and her troop watched as their fellow soldier fell lifelessly to the ground.

"Wait!" exclaimed Ginger, who was among those in the squadron. "Becky was a robot? No wonder I could never beat her at chess!"

"Holly!" Isabella yelled towards the front. "Get us out of here!"

"Aye aye, Chief!"

Holly lifted off and flew the transport ship out of the enemy cruiser. They tried to cut off their escape by closing the bay doors, but using some expert piloting, Holly managed to squeeze their ship through the opening and pilot them to safety.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, the transport ship arrived at its home base, codenamed Station Delta. Once Holly had safely landed in the station's hangar, Isabella's troop immediately began to disembark.<p>

"Another day, another Sailoid Corruptor cruiser disabled!" Isabella bellowed in relief.

_The Sailoid Corruptors are an alien race that entered the Milky Way Galaxy roughly one Earth year ago. They started eradicating planets, one by one. First came, Jupiter, then Neptune, and, most recently, Mars! They thought about destroying Pluto, but decided against it when they learned it wasn't actually a planet._

_The Corruptors were originally created many years ago by an ancient sorcerer who goes by the name of Skall-Lore. He was of the evil persuasion, at least, that's what we've been led to believe, and he employed the Corruptors as his henchmen. Unfortunately for him, they thought that doing menial tasks for one who did not care much for the scientific method. They decided to erase their master from existence._

_And by erase, I mean they launched him into the deep reaches of space in a non-powered space capsule, and he was never seen again._

_Hearing of this act of treachery and fearing their power, the ruler of their home planet tried to force the Corruptors to become part of his own personal army. Their response? Well, let's just say the reason I'm not telling you the name of their home planet... is because it no longer exists._

_What we've come to learn is that the galaxy in which that planet used to reside in, designated as Xenos, also no longer exists. We've been led to believe that the Corruptors will never be treated fairly, and thus, they're taking out their anger on the universe, taking it apart galaxy by galaxy._

_And now they're in ours, and their next target is Earth._

"Just a few more to take down, and our job is done! Then we can let the Earth's combined military forces take care of the rest!"

Holly ran up next to Isabella with a concern on her mind.

"But don't you question the strategy of drafting two-thirds of the members of the world's Fireside Girl troops into the dangerous job of sneaking onto the military space-travelling vessels of creatures not from our world, whose physiology and technological strength we are completely in the dark on, and installing electromagnetic pulse time bombs that we vaguely grasp how they work on board, while, need I remind you, risking our lives against a group of aliens who have no intention of settling for peace, and want to wipe out the entire universe?"

Isabella stopped, then turned to her friend to give her a response.

"It helps if you really don't think about it."

As they reached the end of the platform and actually stepped onto the ship floor, they were greeted by Elizabeth, a fellow Fireside Girl troop and platoon leader.

"This is poppycock!" she shouted in displeasure.

Isabella groaned. "What's got your knickers in a bunch this time, Elizabeth?"

"I cannot believe you're treating one of those heathens in our sick bay! Ye think he's gonna be grateful after we nurse him back to health? Nay!"

"He's harmless," Isabella said, walking past her.

"Are ye protecting him 'cause ye daft? Or 'cause that communications officer of yours, Gretchen, is smitten with him!"

"How dare you make such accusations! Gretchen is **NOT **smitten with him!"

Isabella seemed sure of her declaration. Still, she had to lean over to Holly and ask...

"Gretchen's not smitten with him, right?"

"Why you askin' me?" Holly fired back, as she shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno!"

* * *

><p>In the station's sick bay...<p>

Gretchen was sitting by the bedside of the man, er, alien in question. Minus the humanlike head and a different skin coloring, the creature receiving treatment looked like he was a Sailoid Corruptor.

_If you're wondering how I know so much about the Sailoid Corruptors, it's because of this guy. His name is Grandahl Trekkias Viety III, and he is an emperor of a distant planet named Giramass. Or, so he says._

Gretchen reached over and softly touched Grandahl's forehead. She slowly ran her hand up and down it, as if she was giving it a gentle massage. The alien did not seem to be bothered by this, but it helped that he was unconscious at the moment.

"You've been through a lot, you poor thing. If what you've told me is true, then..."

Gretchen did not get to finish her thought, as the door into the room slid open. Isabella and Elizabeth entered the room; the former had a look of concern on her face, while the latter one of distrust. The two were now out of their space suits and in militia-style Fireside uniforms. A look at Gretchen showed that she was wearing similar garb.

"Gretchen, a word, please?"

* * *

><p><em>The Chief's request was innocent enough, but I figured something was up when I was brought to the station's interrogation room. And left sitting quietly there, alone, for ten minutes.<em>

_Did I do something wrong? And if I did, why didn't the Chief tell me and allow me to explain myself? Or maybe she is. If she thought I didn't deserve that opportunity, I would've been thrown right into the brig._

_Safe to say, I had no idea what this was all about._

Gretchen sat silently at a table with only one chair, the one she was sitting in. She had never once been in that particular room of the station, but she knew she had positioned such that she could look directly into a one-way window. She could not see who was on the other side, but whoever was on the other side could see her.

"Chief?" Gretchen spoke up, breaking the eerie silence. "Are you there? What's this about?"

She waited for a response. At first, there was nothing. Then, Gretchen heard a buzzing sound. That was followed by the opening of a secure door to the left of the aforementioned one-way window. Isabella walked in, closing the door behind her.

"Did I do something?" Gretchen asked, as Isabella came over to her. "I know being in this chair is not a good thing! What did I do?"

Isabella knew Gretchen well enough to have to 'beat around the bush.' If she wanted to ask her something, she knew Gretchen would give her a truthful answer.

"Rumor has it that you've been spending pretty much all of your off-time watching over that Corruptor we picked up in that abandoned capsule a week ago."

"Uh huh. Is... is that a problem?"

"You shouldn't be hanging around him. He's one of them."

"No, he's not!"

Isabella was taken aback by Gretchen's declaration. "Excuse me?"

"He's not! Chief, he's not one of them!"

"We found him on a capsule with their army's insignia on it. He was dressed in a space suit similar to what they wear! He even had on him a rifle that fires blue laser beams. Just. Like. Them!"

"Chief, look at him! His face... it isn't the same!"

"He may not be of the same species, but he could've been hired by the Corruptors as a mercenary."

Suddenly, the room's loudspeaker came on. Elizabeth's voice started coming through it.

"What the hay is wrong with you? How are you sidin' with that atrocity? **ARE YOU SMITTEN WITH HIM?**"

Isabella turned towards the one-way mirror.

"Elizabeth, back off!"

She complied, as the PA system could be heard clicked off. Isabella then turned back to face Gretchen, who was appalled after what Elizabeth had just insinuated.

"I'm not in love with Grandahl!"

"Grandahl?"

"That's his name, Chief."

Elizabeth came on over the PA again. "You're on a first-name basis with 'im?"

Isabella turned around again. "Elizabeth! You're pushing it right now!"

The PA clicked off once more. Isabella prodded further.

"He... actually spoke to you? In... our language?"

Gretchen nodded.

"How? Everyone we've sent in to interrogate him, he's refused to speak to! I was already preparing to ask him myself the next time he's conscious! Gretchen, why would he speak to you?"

_I hesitated. I knew why, but I wasn't sure if the Chief would believe me._

"I dunno."

_She wasn't going to accept that as an answer, though, given she got up close to me and repeated the question._

"Why would he speak to you?"

"I... dunno."

Elizabeth cut in over the loudspeaker a third time. "**ANSWER THE QUESTION, YOU WANK-**"

She was then cut off. There was dead silence for a few seconds. Isabella waited. Finally, the PA came back on, and a different girl's voice spoke out of it.

"She won't cut in anymore, Izzy!"

Isabella smiled. "Thanks, Addy!"

Adyson shut off the intercom. Isabella looked at Gretchen again.

_I was happy to not have to worry about Elizabeth grilling me. But the Chief wanted me to talk, and she knew she'd have to do more to get me to do so._

Isabella twisted her left hip towards Gretchen, in order to show her the recording device clipped to it. She then proceeded to turn the volume knob all the way down, which, on this device, turned it off. She was turned this way to show Gretchen the green power light, which subsequently faded away.

"Okay, off the record, Gretch. Please... I want to know why he will only speak to you. Will you tell me?"

_I knew Isabella would have to tell everyone eventually. But at the present moment, I knew that I could trust her with that information, and she would disclose it when the time was right._

"Okay, Chief. The reason he will only speak to me is..."

"Yes?"

"Grandahl... he says that he's my brother."

Isabella did not know how to react to Gretchen's revelation. She struggled to come up with a response. And then...

"Are... are you sure?"

"Not completely. But, for some reason... I feel like he's telling the truth."

"And why do you say that?"

"Because he has no intention of leaving this space station. His injuries... he will succumb to them in 48 hours."

Isabella gasped. Gretchen nodded in acknowledgement.

"Maybe we should..."

Isabella was ready to end the interrogation, but Gretchen reached over the table, grabbed a hold of the volume knob on Isabella's recording device, and turned it back on. Gretchen then leaned back in her chair, and motioned for her friend to keep going.

"Can I ask... what has he told you?"

Gretchen nodded, then started talking.

_I told the Chief, word-for-word, what Grandahl had told me. As I said before, he was an emperor. The ruler of the planet Giramass, a desolate world in what was then known as the Xenos Galaxy. At the time he was leader, the planet was on the verge of an economic collapse. Without financial help from the other worlds in the galaxy, his people would surely turn against him and revolt, in order to survive. But only one species was willing to help._

_The Sailoid Corruptors._

_Immediately, they provided a quick cash infusion by descending upon Giramass and buying up a large portion of their wares. But that was a temporary stopgap. It would only delay the economy's collapse by a few weeks. Not that the Corruptors were going to wait for that crash._

_A mere three days after their arrival, the Corruptors enacted their plan. Like on many of the other planets in the Xenos Galaxy at nearly the exact same time as them, they had one of their own use their powers to take full body possession of Emperor Grandahl._

Isabella was seen just nodding in amazement as Gretchen told Grandahl's story. On the other side of the one-way mirror, Adyson was doing the same, aside from the occasional look down at soundboard in front of her to make sure the whole thing was being recorded or a glance to her rate, where an irate Elizabeth sat with her mouth gagged and her wrists tied to the seat itself so she could not get up.

_The Corruptor in control of Grandahl's body declared war on the Corruptors, giving them free reign to do what they wanted with the planet's inhabitants and all of their goods. And because the Corruptors were already on the ground and mobilized, Giramass' own armies had no time to organize, and were easily routed. It took literally hours, not months, weeks, or even days, for the Corruptors to take control._

_The inhabitants of Giramass thought they would be enslaved for the rest of their lives. Two days later, the Corruptors need for them ran out. With no control over his own body, Grandahl could only watch as, in the blink of an eye, he became the last living Giramassian in the universe._

* * *

><p>The next day, the now-conscious Grandahl Trekkias Viety III was sitting in the interrogation room, repeating the same story to Isabella. He had nodes connected to him and hooked up to a lie detector, which Holly was monitoring. Gretchen was sitting next to him to keep him calm during the process.<p>

_Grandahl was one of many leaders grabbed from their own homes in the Xenos Galaxy and forced to not only participate in the end of their home planets, but also in the end of numerous other planets in other galaxies across the universe._

_A week ago, on their way to the Milky Way Galaxy, the Corruptors made a stopover in the nearby Little Orion Galaxy. They were planning to mine some energy resources in the small, out-of-the-way planetoids there. Unfortunately, they ended up stumbling on Marose. The largely uninhabited, yet gaseous planet turned out to be poisonous to the Corruptors. A third of the Corruptors' fleet landed on the planet before they realized the dangers there, and only a very scant few managed to get off the planet and take refuge elsewhere in the fleet before the gases became too much._

_Grandahl was among those who was aboard the landed ships, and was among the lucky few to escape. But even then, that did not guarantee his survival. In fact, escaping from Marose just prolonged the suffering._

_At some point soon after, the Corruptors realized that all of the 'survivors' had inhaled too much of Marose's gases for them to be able to recover from. Upon hearing this, Grandahl formulated a plan. As he was not a pure Corruptor like the other infectees, his possessor could decide to separate from him, in order to save his own life._

_Sure enough, six Earth hours later, the Corruptor than had possessed the former emperor of Giramass left his body. Grandahl decided to use the joy of his captor's separation to his advantage, and he escaped from the fleet. They let him go without incident. They had no reason to try to recapture him. He did not have long to live._

* * *

><p>The following morning, both Gretchen and Grandahl were back in the latter's hospital room, giving up DNA samples to see if they really were related.<p>

_The next thing he recalled after that escape was waking up here. The pod he had used to liberate himself ran out fuel near Mars. It ended up drifting right into Station Delta._

* * *

><p>During a tour of the facility, Gretchen dropped off from the group as she watched an unconscious Grandahl pass by her, strapped onto a gurney as he was transported to the sick bay.<p>

_That was our first day there after learning about the Corruptors and their declaration to destroy Earth and then, the rest of the universe._

* * *

><p><em>Later that afternoon, I walked into his room, not aware of the possible danger I was putting myself into.<em>

Gretchen entered Grandahl's room and pulled up a chair next to the bed so that she could sit next to him.

"You look so peaceful lying there," Gretchen said aloud, staring at the creature lying in front of her. "There's no way you could be one of them."

"I'm not."

Grandahl had heard her statement, and he had woken to respond to it.

"You... you can understand me?"

He nodded.

_And it was then that he told me his story..._

* * *

><p><em>That was almost 48 hours ago...<em>

Tears streamed down Gretchen's face as Grandahl weakly handed her a ring that had gone unnoticed on his right hand.

"There is one thing I failed to mention. This... is yours..."

He pulled the ring off and slipped it onto Gretchen's right ring finger.

"W-w-w-what?"

"Use this... to save... the galaxy."

"But... does this mean!"

She grabbed his left hand and clasped her own two over it.

"It is the only way," he said to Gretchen.

"But... it's not fair!" Gretchen cried.

"To save... the galaxy... I... must..."

Before she could object any further, she felt his hand go limp. The alien's chest also stopped moving, insinuating that his heart had also stopped.

"No," Gretchen said, shaking her head in denial. "No, you can't! No... **NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**"

She sat there, bent over the creature that was her brother, and cried her heart out. She would have stayed there and sobbed for hours if the phone in the room had not decided to ring right there and then. She answered it, as the light designating that the call was coming from the bridge. Adyson shouted at her from the other end.

"Code Red, Gretchen! We need you up here to run comm!"

Gretchen sniffled, then responded. "Yes."

She hung up the phone, then headed out of the room. Upon leaving, Gretchen spun around to say one last goodbye to Grandahl. But, to her surprise, his body had completely dissolved in the last 30 seconds, leaving nothing but a pile of dust on the bed. At the same exact moment, the ring that he had given to her was now glowing a bright orange. At first, the light only enveloped the ring itself. But then it enveloped her finger, then her hand, and, eventually, her entire body. Whatever was happening, it was instilling energy beyond anything she had felt before.

"I... I think I understand what you mean now. Brother."

* * *

><p>Isabella was among those in the hangar helping prepare space fighters in the station for launch. So imagine her surprise when Gretchen ran past her in a blur. She was heading for the bay doors, and, to Isabella's horror, she was not wearing a spacesuit.<p>

"Gretchen! You can't go out there!"

But she ignored Isabella's cries to stop. Gretchen stepped into the launch area. Using the power of the ring, she used it to launch herself out of the ship. The ring provided her breathable air and protection from the cold temperatures of space, as she flew in the direction of the incoming Sailoid Corruptor fleet.

"Time to save the galaxy!"

She charged up the ring to full power, and then used a focused blast, aimed at the lead ship in the fleet...

* * *

><p>At the Fireside Girls' lodge...<p>

"Whoa, whoa, **WHOA!**" Isabella interrupted. "Gretchen, stop."

"Why, Chief?" questioned Gretchen, as she looked up from the computer screen.

"No one's going to get this! It's too... out there! Right, Holly?"

Isabella was hoping that Holly would back her up. But Holly had fallen asleep, with her head tilted slightly towards the ceiling, and saliva hanging from the left side of her mouth.

"Also, Gretchen, there's too much exposition! If you wanna really get our readers into it, you've got to keep it simple! May I demonstrate?"

Gretchen willingly gave up her seat in front of the computer, allowing Isabella to sit down and show the girls the proper way to write a good fantasy story.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So, Gretchen really got a little too into her science fiction tale. So much so that you probably understand how hard of an episode this was to write, given my self-imposed time, space, and canon restraints. I still think it turned alright for what it was, but the willingness of myself to take such a challenging idea just shows how tough it is to come up for entries for Gretchen, as opposed to some of the others.<p>

Hopefully the third entry of 'Fireside Fantasy Month' will not delve so deep into pure fantasy. Isabella's served well as the mentor of Melissa, a member of the Lil' Sparks. Seeing this, some of the others try taking on a Lil' Spark of their own. Good idea? Bad idea? Be here next week to find out!


	35. A Spark Filled with Lil' Lies

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, the third entry of 'Fireside Fantasy Month' also happens to be the second of two ideas suggested by you, the readers, to implement in an episode of this series. The idea for this one was suggested by WordNerb93. The concept is, basically, that some of the other Fireside Girls see how well Isabella's mentorship of Melissa is going. So they try to get in on the fun and try to mentor a few Lil' Sparks of their own.

And then they learn every five-year old Lil' Spark is not doe-eyed, cute-as-a-button, pigtails-and-all Melissa.

So, this episode is what I've come up with. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #417 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_As the leader of a Fireside Girls troop, I have the responsibility of making sure I act as a role model for the other members of the group. The others always look to me to do what's right, and at the same time, I have to lead my girls back on the right path should they ever wander astray from it._

_In turn, all us Fireside Girls are supposed to be role models for those younger than us. In particular, for girls, and to be more precise, for members of the Lil' Sparks, which as you know, is basically a junior organization to the Fireside Girls. Once a week, I serve as a mentor to a Lil' Spark named Melissa. We hang out, I tell stories, and I instill good, moral values into her._

_This week was no different._

Isabella and Melissa were walking side-by-side, as they headed towards the southern Danville Park exit.

"Thanks, Isabella!" Melissa said in gratitude.

"Oh, no problem!" Isabella replied.

They reached the exit just as a bus pulled up to the stop in front of it. Isabella led Melissa towards it, while behind them, Gretchen, Holly, and Ginger followed.

_But this week's story isn't about me. It's about them._

"The Chief bonds so well with Melissa," noted Gretchen.

"If I already didn't know the truth myself," stated Holly, "I'd swear those two were sisters."

Isabella boarded the bus with Melissa. The doors closed behind them, and the bus pulled away from the curb. Holly resumed the trio's talk, smirking as she put her arms around her friends.

"I think, in a roundabout way, we're all thinking the same thing. And that is..."

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, inside the secret forest clubhouse...<p>

Isabella was handed an application form by Gretchen, who then stepped back and stood, with similarly hopeful-eyed Holly and Ginger, as their troop leader scanned the document.

"You girls want to be Lil' Sparks mentors?"

The trio nodded in unison. Isabella pulled out a rubber stamp and used it to mark the application with an 'Approved' print.

_I'm happy that the girls want to follow in my footsteps and help guide the next generation of Fireside Girls. But something told me on that day that this was not a responsibility that they were quite ready for..._

**-  
>Entry #417 [FSD311] - A Spark Filled with Lil' Lies (02.11.03)<br>-**

One week later, in front of the lodge downtown, Gretchen, Holly, and Ginger were all giddy as they walked up. Isabella was waiting for them, along with Melissa and three other girls her age that none of them had ever seen before.

"Hi, girls!" greeted Isabella. "Ready to get your mentoring on?"

"You bet!"

"You know it!"

"Let's do this!"

"Okay," Isabella said. "Let me introduce your new quote-unquote 'lil' sisters.' Holly, I'm pairing you up with Charmaine."

Charmaine was a dark-skinned girl with short, curled weave-style brown hair.

"Ginger, you're going to be with Lea."

Lea was an Asian girl with straight, light brown hair, who wore glasses.

"And Gretchen, this is Patti. With an 'i,' not a 'y.'"

Patti was a light-skinned redhead with freckles.

"Pleased to meet you!" Holly, Ginger, and Gretchen greeted in unison.

"I hope it's important that you girls understand what you're getting into."

The trio all shot confused glances at each other.

"Uh, Isabella? We all have our Babysitting Patches. This'll be a snap!"

"This isn't the same. Babysitting requires you to just take care of someone. Mentoring requires you to actually teach them something. Oh, **AND** take care of them."

"One step ahead of you, Chief!" Gretchen proudly declared.

Gretchen pulled out four copies of a five-page checklist of things they could teach the girls. She handed them out, keeping one for herself.

"We have to do this all in one **DAY**?" asked Holly.

"Just the first half of the first page," Gretchen replied. "It's a ten-week program."

Isabella lowered the paper from her face and smiled.

"Looks good enough to me!"

Isabella grabbed Melissa's hand, and the two started walking away.

"Wait!" Ginger shouted. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, us? To the Tri-State Area Museum of Architecture! I'm gonna teach Melissa about the stone arch! Wanna come?"

Holly shook her head, while Ginger stuck out her tongue in disapproval.

"We're good, Chief," Gretchen said, making their response unanimous.

Isabella shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself!"

The two left, leaving Gretchen, Holly, and Ginger to their mentoring job.

"Alright," Holly exclaimed, with an enthusiastic fist pump. "Let's get mentoring!"

"We... might want to find them first," Ginger said, concerned.

The three Lil' Sparks were gone! The Fireside Girls started scanning the area, already fearing the worst. Thankfully, they were relieved when they discovered that the door into the Fireside Lodge was ajar. They concluded that the girls must have already gone inside.

"Relax!" Gretchen said to Holly and Ginger. "They're all half our age, and you know at five how quiet and innocent a kid can be. What could possibly go wrong?"

She opened the door to the lodge, and all three girls' jaws almost dropped to the floor after seeing that the inside had been turned topsy-turvy and upside down. And the three most likely subjects were standing in the exact center of the room, flashing innocent smiles.

"Who's responsible for this?" questioned Holly, in a demanding voice.

The three Lil' Sparks troop members responded by pointing fingers at each other.

"I was trying to stop Lea from fiddling with that computer!" exclaimed Charmaine.

Charmaine was referring to the lone desktop computer in the lodge, whose tower's back plate was now on the floor, as were circuit boards of various sizes.

"I was trying to stop Charmaine from messing with that sewing machine!" Lea argued, in return.

The elder girls' heads turned to the opposite side of the lodge, and saw that the sewing machine had knobs hanging out of their sockets and a needle that was bent at a forty-five degree angle.

"You two should be ashamed of yourselves," shouted Patti, as she waved a capped black marker at them. "That's not the way of the Lil' Sparks!"

Charmaine and Lea both lowered their heads, ashamed of what they did. Patti then turned to the older girls to apologize.

"I'm really sorry for what they did. We're just so amazed by everything you have here, and they got curious and wanted to try and see how things worked. I should've done more to stop them."

Gretchen, Holly, and Ginger looked at each other, and then back at Patti. To them, something did not seem quite right.

"You're saying you had **NOTHING** to do with all this?" Gretchen queried.

She proceeded to point at a trophy case, on which someone had drawn a rose on the glass. Holly drew Patti's attention to the podium, which had a heart with an arrow going through it sketched onto it. Finally, Ginger directed her to look at a painting of Eliza M. Feyersied. Someone had drawn a mustache on her face. In addition, in the bottom right-hand corner of the framed photo, the words 'Patti wuz here' had been written.

The common thread between the three etchings? All were done in black marker. The same marker that Patti was now hiding behind her back, in hopes that the elder girls would forget they had seen it.

The disappointed scowls on their faces said otherwise.

"Heh... would you believe me if I said that Charmaine and Lea put me up to it?"

The scowls then quickly turned to displeased glares.

"I'll take that as a no."

* * *

><p>Over the course of the next hour and a half, Patti, Charmaine, and Lea cleaned up the mess they had made, restoring the lodge to what it had looked like when they first entered it. As the younger girls were finishing up, the older ones were trying to figure out what to do now that half of their mentoring session had already been lost. Gretchen had her checklist in hand, and was visibly marking off things they could no longer do.<p>

"Well," she said aloud, "not enough time to go paragliding, prepare a meal at the local senior citizen's home, fix up Old Man Miller's three broken tractors, assist that non-profit group at the beach who's trying to build the world's largest sandcastle, or to introduce the girls to music by taking them to the new shop at the mall."

"What are we going to do about **THEM**?" asked Ginger.

She, of course, was referring to the Lil' Sparks.

"They just need a little guidance," Gretchen replied. "That's why we're doing this, after all."

Patti, Charmaine, and Lea had finished cleaning, and now checking in to report just that to their mentors.

"All done!" they said in unison.

The elder girls did a quick scan of the room. Nothing seemed out of place and the lodge looked even cleaner than it was beforehand.

"So," Gretchen asked, "what did we learn?"

"That we should always treat other people's property as lovingly as if it were our own," stated Lea.

"And that we should never touch anything without asking permission first," added Charmaine.

Gretchen nodded in agreement with both statements.

"What about you, Patti?"

Patti was reluctant to answer. Gretchen pressed her again for an answer.

"Patti? What have you learned today?"

This time, the redhead did respond. "I learned that I shouldn't lie. It was very wrong of me to push all of the blame on my friends when I was equally responsible for what happened."

"Good," Gretchen said, smiling in glee. "That's just what I wanted to hear!"

"So, can we actually do something fun?"

"Of course!" Ginger exclaimed. "I know just the place!"

* * *

><p><em>Sometimes, though, a Fireside Girl's idea of fun is not the same as one of a Lil' Spark...<em>

The younger girls were disappointed to be standing in the midst of a Farmers' Market, which was bustling thanks to the presence of both locals and tourists taking advantage of buying fruits and vegetables straight from the source.

"Fireside Girls are supposed to support their local community," explained Gretchen. "And this is one of the ways we do just that!"

"Once a month," Holly said, "a few of us volunteer at the Farmers' Market. We do odd jobs around the block. We help direct foot traffic, break down empty boxes, load and unload produce. Whatever needs to be done, we do it!"

"You're making us do this?" questioned Patti. "Two words. Bor- and -ing!"

"Relax," Holly said, pulling out a clipboard. "You're doing something much more exciting!"

She led them to the first stand. This one sold apples and oranges.

"Afternoon, Mr. Ripley! Sales check!"

"9 A's and 3 O's."

Holly scribbled a '9' and a '3' onto the first line of the form. She then saluted Mr. Ripley and walked off, with the girls in tow.

"Every hour that the Market is open, someone goes around to all the stands and asks what they've sold since the last check. Helps keep everyone on the up and up."

Holly then handed the clipboard to Patti.

"Shouldn't take you too long. It's a slow day, so there are only about 15 stands up today. Come find me when you're done."

Holly headed back over to Gretchen and Ginger, leaving the Lil' Sparks to do their new job on their own.

* * *

><p>"5 W's," one stand owner shouted.<p>

"3 BB's and 5 SB's," proclaimed another.

"9 C's, 6 C's, and a dozen C's," stated a third, who was selling cabbages, cauliflower, and carrots.

"Why does everyone here speak in letters?" thought Patti aloud, as the trio walked away from the previous stand. "It's like being in Saturday school!"

"Just bear with it," pleaded Charmaine. "'Sides, this is the last stand."

Sure enough, they were at the last stand, which was another apple cart.

"Hello!" shouted Lea, searching for the owner. "Anyone here?"

She peeked behind the cart, but there was no one there. Charmaine appeared on the other side, as she apparently had the same idea.

"Now what?"

They went back to the front of the cart and were surprised to see that Patti had not only picked up one of the apples, but she was taking a bite out of it at that very moment.

"Mmmm," Patti said. "This is good!"

"**PATTI!**" Lea shouted. "That's stealing!"

Patti scoffed. "Fine."

Patti flipped the once-bitten apple over her shoulder, in the direction of the cart. Charmaine and Lea both raced to catch it. In doing so, though, they ran straight into the cart, sending both themselves and the apples in the cart tipping backwards. Upon hearing the crash, the Fireside Girls came running in to investigate, as did the cart's owner.

"**MY APPLES!**" the cart owner screamed, in grief.

"What happened?" asked Holly.

"Charmaine and Lea were playing around the cart," replied Patti. "I said they shouldn't be, but they ignored me and, a few seconds later, bam! Into the cart they went."

The other two girls were about to state their side of the story, but the owner had already decided that he did not want to hear it.

"This is my livelihood, and you ruined it!"

Gretchen stepped in to diffuse the situation.

"They're really sorry, Mr. Manson. They're under our supervision, so we'll take full responsibility. We'll pay for any damages."

Mr. Manson seemed willing to accept Gretchen's offer. That was until he saw the bitten-into apple sticking out amongst the other apples now at their feet.

"You can start by paying for that apple right there!"

Holly went over and picked up the partially-eaten apple by the stem. She then held it out in front of the girls.

"Alright, which one of you is responsible for this?"

"Not any of us," answered Patti. "That apple was like that when we got here. Someone else must've bitten into it."

Suddenly, Patti's lips began to pucker. She reached up with her hands as she stuck out her tongue, and tried to rub the taste out of it with her fingers.

"Mr. Manson," Ginger spoke up, "don't you sell Crabby Apples, one of the sourest-tasting apples in the world?"

"Why, yes," he replied. "Yes, I do."

Gretchen and Holly joined Ginger in staring down Patti, who had been caught red-handed.

* * *

><p>After fixing Mr. Manson's cart and paying for any damages, as well as the once-bitten apple, the six girls left the Farmer's Market. As they all headed back to the lodge, the younger girls were a few steps ahead of the older girls, who were discussing what to do.<p>

"Is it just me," whispered Ginger, "or did Patti lie about learning her lesson about not lying?"

"She definitely didn't," Holly replied. "We need to do something, before she gets to the point where she's telling nothin' **BUT** lies!"

"I have an idea," Gretchen stated. "Holly, do you still have-"

Holly held up a wolf costume. "Way ahead of ya!"

Ginger groaned. "Can I be the wolf this time?"

"Can you growl?"

Gretchen and Holly waited for Ginger to give off her best wolf impression.

"Grrrr... grrr... grr... meow?"

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, back at the lodge, Ginger, in uniform and not in the wolf costume, walked into one of the smaller rooms in the lodge. Inside was the younger trio, all nervously sitting at a table.<p>

"What's going to happen to us?" wondered Patti aloud. "Are we going to get punished?"

"We'll decide that after we talk to each of you individually," replied Ginger. "And we'll start with you. Charmaine and Lea, would you excuse us?"

Ginger motioned at the door, and that was their signal to exit and wait their turn outside. Once the pair had left and closed the door behind them, Ginger began her interrogation of Patti.

"Okay, Patti. Tell me what really hap-"

"**EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!**"

Ginger was interrupted by the screams of Charmaine and Lea coming from outside.

"What's going on out there?"

She walked towards the door. Suddenly, Patti heard growling from the other side. And she was pretty sure it was from an animal.

"Don't open the door!" she shouted.

But Ginger ignored Patti's warning, thinking that she was lying. She reached for the knob to open the door, but was beat to it when it was opened from the other side, and the door was pushed right into, knocking her onto her butt.

"**AAAAAHHHHH!**" Ginger screamed. "**WOLF!**"

"**A WOLF? WHAT DO I DO?**"

Before Ginger could answer, the wolf pounced! It landed on Ginger and started gnawing at her left arm.

"You have to warn the others! I'd do it myself, but this wolf is trying to eat me!"

The wolf then started pulling Ginger out of the room.

"It's up to you, Patti!"

Patti was shaking in fear, too afraid to do anything as the wolf dragged Ginger out, closing the door behind him. She could do nothing as she heard Ginger's final cries of anguish.

"He's eating me! He's **SO** eating me! In a matter of moments, I will be completely devoured by the wolf! I'm almost gone! I'm almost go-**OW!** Biting my ear was **NOT** necessary! Alright, alright, I'm wrapping this up! I'm going... going... going... I am now in the wolf's stomach!"

"**AAAAAAHHHHHH!**" screamed Patti, finally reacting to the situation. "What do I do, what do I do, what do I do?"

Her fight-or-flight instinct took over, as she scanned the room for a way out. Unfortunately, since it was an interior room with no windows, there was only one entrance and exit.

And the wolf was likely waiting for her on the other side of it.

Patti quickly got out of her chair and climbed onto the table. Good thing she did, because the door opened once more. The wolf had gotten it open, to Patti's dismay, and it looked like he had not filled his stomach yet. He was licking his lips, intending to eat her as well.

"Nice wolf," she began to plead. "Good wolf! You don't want to eat me! I'm from a family of vegetarians..."

The wolf began to approach the table.

"...that means we don't eat meat. So we're good, right? We're good?"

The wolf leaped up, trying to get onto the table. He mistimed the jump, though, and only got half of his body up onto it, with everything from his waist down hanging off of the end. As he struggled to push himself up, Patti did what any five-year old would do.

She tried to run for her life. And then the unfortunate happened.

She tripped over her own two feet at the far end of the table, and went flying off head-first. There was a thud, and then... silence. The wolf succeeded in pulling himself up and then ran to the other side. He looked ready to eat, but when he saw the unconscious girl lying on the ground, he stopped.

He then took off his headpiece. Or, rather, she, as it was Holly in the costume.

"Uh oh."

* * *

><p>15 minutes later, two EMTs were checking out Patti, who was conscious and sitting on a gurney positioned on the sidewalk next to an ambulance. Charmaine and Lea were on either side, and both of them were showing concern for their friend.<p>

A few feet away, Gretchen, Holly, and Ginger were talking about what went wrong.

"I don't understand," Gretchen said aloud. "She was supposed to run out of the room and trap you in it, Holly. Then she'd come find me and tell me that there was a wolf in the lodge. I'd say 'I don't believe because you've done nothing but lies all day' and then shove her back in the room, none the wiser. You'd go after her again, and just before you were about to devour, Patti was supposed to, as her last words, admit that she really has learned that lying is wrong and that she'd never, ever lie again. And we would've succeeded in teaching her something, just like the Chief said we'd do."

"Wow," said Holly, gasping after hearing all of that. "After the fact, I now understand why that only works in the movies."

"You mean I genuinely acted bad for nothing?" questioned an upset Ginger. "Aw, man!"

"That's not the worst of all of this!" Gretchen exclaimed. "When Chief hears about it, what are we going to tell her?"

"Apologizing for coming up with such an outrageous idea would be a good start..."

The trio gulped as they turned around and saw Isabella standing there. And she was not happy with the scene displayed in front of her.

_So, in the end, the true lesson to be learned here is that, in trying to teach a lesson to someone younger than you, know that you probably shouldn't be scaring the daylights out of them to do so._

_And the girls will each learn that lesson through a month's work of community service._

* * *

><p>At the Fireside Girls' lodge...<p>

"Hate to break it to you, Chief," Gretchen said, as she leaned in over Isabella's right shoulder, "but that's not fantasy."

"That's reality!" huffed Holly. "It actually happened! Well, except for the wolf part."

"And that's why it's fantasy, tee hee," Isabella exclaimed. "Because if that had actually happened, I would've kicked you all out of the Fireside Girls."

Gretchen and Holly laughed.

"Good thing we didn't then, huh, Chief?"

The two then backed away towards the trash can by the door. They each pulled out the checklist of mentoring ideas from their pockets, and promptly tossed them in.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>In the end, both of the reader-suggested concepts turned out to be quite a challenge to adapt. I think, though, for what they were worth, it was nice to get out of my comfort zone to try and make them entertaining for you guys. Do you guys agree? Do you think I should open it up to for fan ideas for next season? Let me know.<p>

(P.S. And, yes, that's my official announcement that 'Fireside Diaries' will have a fourth season. Surprise!)

Meanwhile, 'Fireside Fantasy Month' concludes next week with another "What if?" look into the girls' future! Star high school newspaper reporter Holly accompanies her friends, a rag-tag team of detectives, as they tail a fellow classmate that they believe may be up to something inappropriate and illegal!


	36. The Gumshoe Gals

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

This is the final entry of 'Fireside Fantasy Month' sitting in front of you! Yes, it's been fun, but after this, we're moving on to bigger and better things!

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>Inside the Fireside Girls' lodge...<p>

"You all did a nice job and all," Holly proclaimed, "but it's time you let 'The Master' do her thing!"

Isabella giggled. "'The Master,' huh? Well, have at it!"

Isabella got up, relinquishing the chair to Holly. Once she was sitting down in front of the computer, Holly went right to work, typing furiously. Isabella and Gretchen looked on, curious as to what tale Holly would tell...

* * *

><p>...a few seconds later, Holly stopped typing. But this was not the same Holly from before. This Holly... was 16 years old! Even stranger, everything around her was in black and white, from the clothes she was wearing to the large tree which could be seen from a nearby window.<p>

_Entry #418 - Written by Holly_

_It started like an ordinary after school day. Only there was no color, as everything was in black and white. The only songs that could be heard coming from the radio were of the jazz variety, played only by saxophones. I'm wearing a floral print dress from the '30s... and __**TOTALLY**__ rockin' it, by the way! And yet, here I am typing in front of a computer while eating orapple slices from a bowl. Yes, orapple. An orange inside an apple._

_The world will be full of confusing anachronisms in five years, for sure._

_But none of that matters. What does matter is that I'm a junior at Danville High, and I'm the star reporter for the school newspaper. Seriously! Newspapers __**WILL**__ still be around! My editor told me she needed a hard-hitting piece for this week's paper. For some reason, she shot down my idea to investigate why we're all suddenly five years older than in the last episode and will mysteriously regress back to our actual ages next week. But, hey, her loss._

_Problem is, I haven't been able to come up with anything else._

A quick look at Holly's screen showed that all she had typed was 'I need a story idea right now or else I'm going to scream.'

_Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks!_

Holly ducked underneath the table, just avoiding being hit by flying bricks, which all hit the computer monitor, destroying it instantaneously.

_Well, it hit the computer..._

"Not my fault!" Holly shouted out loud, as she came back out.

Holly ignored the mess and went over to the bulletin board. Normally, it was to be used only by those on the newspaper staff. But occasionally another student would manage to staple a flyer or something on it without the staff's knowledge, and it would usually stay up there until the end of the week.

_I saw a flyer put up here yesterday that didn't belong, and was hoping that it was still here. Luckily, the editor hadn't seen it yet, so it was!_

Holly read the flyer aloud.

"'When there's a mystery to be solved, get in touch with us, the Gumshoe Gals! Interested in joining or have a case to be solved? We meet every Wednesday after school! For emergencies, call 555-GUMSHOE.'"

_I've heard about these Gumshoe Gals. In the last two weeks alone, they found out who let the frogs out of the science wing, who bent the Math Club's prized protractor and straightened it into a plain ruler, and what meat is actually in the school's mystery meat._

_Spoiler alert: none. Completely vegetarian._

_But there are many more mysteries in high school to be solved! And they're just the team to do it! Problem is, no one's going to give them jobs if they don't know who they are. And no one knows who they are because they're never there at the end. They leave a calling card and a summary report detailing everything. Even the people they've busted don't know who they are._

_That's where I come in!_

Holly pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number on the flyer.

**-  
>Entry #418 [FSD312] - The Gumshoe Gals (02.18.03)<br>-**

_20 minutes later, I found myself biting into another orapple as I sat at a dining room table inside the house of the leader of the Gumshoe Gals._

Holly then heard the detectives walk into the room behind her. Holly spun around so that she was now facing backwards in the chair. And, more importantly, was now looking at the team she was going to profile.

"How come you never told me you guys were detectives? Isabella, I thought we were friends!"

"Sorry," Isabella apologized, "but I didn't think it was important. Besides, you're busy with the paper and all."

_Meet the Gumshoe Gals! First, there's Isabella, the leader. She's great at keeping the team organized, and her main job is to make the busting plan! It was also her idea for them to keep their secret identities at first._

The second member of the team stepped forward, to Isabella's right.

"Gretchen," Isabella said to her, "you have the prepared primer so Holly can get up to speed on our current case?"

"Yes!" she replied, meekly.

_Second is Gretchen, the brains. Although Isabella's pretty smart in her own right, it's Gretchen that usually puts all the pieces together and compiles the evidence._

"Thanks," Holly said, taking the document.

On Isabella's left entered the third person on the squad. And she had a digital camera in hand, which she gave to Holly.

"If you're taking pictures for the article, I want to use this! It's the only camera in the world good enough to capture me in the best light!"

_And this is Katie, the pretty one. Yeah... that's all she has going for her. And last, but not least..._

The final member of the team sprinted into the dining room, passing underneath Isabella, and then leaping up onto Holly's lap. He then started licking her face, to which Holly responded with childish giggles.

_...Pinky. The mascot, the bait, the clue-finder, and the one who always gets the last word._

"Okay, Pinky, quit it!" Holly laughed as she pulled Pinky from her face. "I missed seeing you too, okay?"

She then handed Pinky to Isabella, who gave her dog a gentle stroke on the head.

_Now that the whole team's been introduced, I guess I can talk about the case that they're currently working on._

Holly glanced down at the primer Gretchen had handed her for the first time, and the first thing she noticed on it was a photo of Adyson.

_That's Adyson Sweetwater. We all know her really well. We're all friends with her, after all. But I've noticed that she's being acting strange as of late... and apparently her 'rents have noticed too, since they're the clients._

_It all seemed to start last week, when she started acting out of character. Even for her. She had become distant. She didn't want to hang out with us when we wanted to go out. She even stopped sitting with us at lunch! But even after all that, we all just found those to be minor quibbles. At the time, Isabella said she was stressed out about something, and we should wait a few days to see if Adyson could work it out on her._

_That was not to be the case._

_Three days ago, on Monday, Adyson spontaneously quit Student Council, the Mock Trial Team, and the Fashion Club, all within a matter of minutes! Then, in the most shocking twist of all, she turned in her softball uniform and quit the varsity team, the day __**BEFORE **__the start of the season! She was going to be only the third junior in school history to be the starting pitcher on opening day! She had been dreaming of that moment ever since she helped lead the JV team to a state title last year! There's no way she would've given that up! Something had to be wrong!_

_To make matters worse, her parents told us that Adyson didn't even come home last night. And when they called her, all she told them was that "she was at a friend's place, and that she was fine." But, naturally, when they learned from all of us that Adyson was lying about that, they decided that something had to be done before the worst could happen._

"And that's basically what they hired us for," said Isabella, who had been telling the story Holly had just paraphrased in narration, only in more detail. "We need to find Adyson and figure out what's going on with her. Suggestions?"

Katie raised her hand.

"I think she's into the d-word!"

Everyone in the room gasped. Katie reached into her purse and pulled out her proof. A clear plastic bag, filled a quarter of the way up, with a white, powdery substance.

"See?"

Without warning, Gretchen had opened the bag, had picked up a pinch of the substance, and had put it in her mouth. Katie gave her a 'are you crazy' look, but Gretchen quickly explained herself.

"Katie. This is sugar."

"Oh."

_Again, in case you forgot... Katie's the pretty one._

Suddenly, the phone on the wall rang. Because, even five years into the future, Isabella still had a landline... that her family was actively using.

"Hello?" she asked upon answering.

After a short conversation that ended in Isabella giggling, she hung up.

"That was you-know-who... he said he got a tip that someone saw Adyson at that new burger place in the southern suburbs."

"Yet's yoll, yadies!" exclaimed Pinky, in human speak.

_Did I forget to mention that Pinky can __**TALK**__? How Hanna-Barbera!_

"It's a work-in-progress. Anyway, let's get down to that place before Adyson leaves."

* * *

><p>"Okay," Isabella said to Holly as the group walked in through the front door, "stay back. Who knows how she'll react."<p>

Holly nodded, then remained by the door as the Gumshoe Girls walked up to the counter.

_Just as we expected, there was Adyson behind the counter, passing a dine-in order to a waiting family of three._

"Here's your order, sir! Have a nice day!"

"Thank you!" said the father, in gratitude.

They headed for an open table, with the mother picking up and carrying their five-year old son all the way there. Adyson had a smile on her face, pleased to have made another patron's day.

_She seems rather happy for someone who hasn't been at school since Monday. Something doesn't feel right._

Adyson faced forward once more to greet the next customer...

"Welcome to Patty Queen! What is thy order?"

...only to be surprised to see Isabella and the others walking up. Adyson had only one response to that.

Picking up a bunch of super-sized drink cups and chucking them at Isabella.

"**HEY!**" cried Isabella, as she and the others were pelted.

Adyson then took off, running towards the back. Isabella rolled her eyes.

"**UGH!** Why do perps always run?"

With that, the group got behind the counter and started chasing after Adyson. In turn, Holly followed them, intending to report everything.

"**STOP!**" shouted Isabella.

Adyson ran past a co-worker and the fryer she was standing next to. At her associate's feet was an empty box, which she kicked into her pursuers' path. Isabella managed to leap over it, but Gretchen was not as lucky, tripping over her own two feet and falling face-first into the cardboard container. It temporarily held up Katie and Holly, but Pinky was able to jump on Gretchen's back and continue on, unimpeded.

Adyson managed to make it out the back door, and she proceeded to sprint across the shopping center parking lot, in the direction of a nearby supermarket. Isabella was a few strides behind, followed by Pinky, who did not take long to overtake his master. Adyson knew that, despite her athletic ability, if left unimpeded, Pinky would catch her before she got into the grocery store.

So the brunette grabbed a grocery cart from a woman by a minivan who had just finished unloading it, and pushed it Pinky's direction. The chihuahua avoided injury by jumping into the cart's undercarriage, which was usually reserved for bigger items. But in turn, not only was his momentum stopped, but he was now headed in the wrong direction. His detour was hastily halted by Isabella, who put her hands out in front of her to stop the cart before it could drift into traffic.

By the time Isabella got Pinky out, Adyson was just five feet away from the supermarket's doors. Thankfully, Gretchen and Katie were now out of the restaurant and had picked up the lead in the chase.

Once inside the grocery store, the two girls split up. Gretchen headed for the bakery, while Katie went for the meat section. Just as the latter reached the swinging double doors into the butcher's area, she was stopped by one of its workers, holding a plastic-wrapped piece of New York strip steak that had been sliced into quarter-inch-thick pieces.

"Here you go!" 'he' said, handing it to Katie.

"Thanks!" said Katie happily.

The 'guy' then started slowly walking towards the seafood counter, instead of back to where he had come from. Katie, strangely, thought nothing odd of it.

That was until she noticed that a fake mustache - the one that had been on the guy's face when he had first come out - was now resting atop her meat.

"**WAIT!**"

The 'guy' spun around, and without her mustache on, Katie clearly could see that the butcher was actually Adyson in disguise!

"**GRETCHEN! ADYSON'S OVER HERE!**"

Adyson started running again, and it did not take long for her to leap over the seafood counter and disappear in the back. She eventually made it out to the alley behind the supermarket. She closed the door she had exited from behind her, and then ran for the near side of the building.

"They'll never catch me now!" Adyson thought aloud.

She turned the corner, and was promptly knocked on her back thanks to a flying tackle from Isabella, who happened to be waiting for her.

"It's over, Adyson! Give up!"

Out of options, Adyson had no choice but to surrender.

* * *

><p>Five minutes later, the entire group was now sitting on the curb in front of the store. Adyson was holding up a small plastic bag full of ice up to the back of her head with her left hand, nursing the bump she had received as the result of Isabella's tackle.<p>

The Gumshoe Girls were gathered around her. Isabella was interrogating Adyson as Holly took notes for her story.

"The reason I haven't been at school and quit everything," Adyson explained, "was that my life changed recently. I'm currently in a financial crisis. See, I volunteered to be a partner in a startup business. Problem is, between the two of us, we don't have quite enough upfront to cover start-up expenses. So we came to a decision. He finds a way to get all the materials; I get a job to help pay for them. Being restricted to a max of 15 hours a week won't amount to much, but it's all that's allowed. I had to quit the softball team and all those clubs 'cause I don't have time for them."

"But you do realize that staying in school is a requirement of having a permit, right? Adyson, you could get it revoked just for skipping one day, much less three!"

"I know, I know! I was planning to go back tomorrow, but I was still trying to figure out how to cover up my unexcused absences! I'm... I'm not proud of what I'm doing."

Isabella put a comforting hand on Adyson's shoulder.

"You could've come to us for help. We're all your friends."

"Yeah, but... I'm just so ashamed of myself for what I've done!"

"It's okay! Sometimes, we're forced to do things we're not proud of. But now it's time to go in a different direction. We're here to help, Adyson! Let us help you!"

Adyson tried to fight back a tear, but she was unsuccessful.

"Alright."

Isabella, Gretchen, Katie, and Holly all got around Adyson and hugged her all at once. After staying that way for a few seconds, they all backed away.

"We need to get you back in school," Isabella told Adyson, "so the first thing we need to do is get you out of this business deal."

"That's... gonna be tough..."

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, the group was standing inside a closed-down donut shop. The counter and the display cases had been left behind, albeit now dusty and somewhat in need of repair, but otherwise, the place was empty.<p>

"You were planning to open a cupcake shop?" asked Isabella.

"Yeah! They're all the rage!"

"Yeah, like, five years ago. Adyson, what were you thinking? Even for you, this is beyond farfetched! How did you agree to this without thinking it through?"

Adyson shrugged her shoulders. "My partner's very... convincing?"

"Well, I for one think he's snookered you! We've got to find a way to get you out of this mess. Where is he?"

"He's right there!"

Adyson was pointing at the door, which was being opened at that very moment. Everyone gasped upon seeing the teenager walking in, with a nearly-full brown paper bag cradled in his arms.

_So who's the guy who's led Adyson down this path of truancy and un-achievable dreams? Why, it's the boyfriend._

_It's __**ALWAYS**__ the boyfriend._

"What are you skirts doing in my shop? We're not open yet!"

Isabella's eyes narrowed as she walked over to have a talk with Adyson's boyfriend.

"Buford Van Stomm! I knew you were a bad influence on Adyson from the day you two first start dating! And now I have proof!"

Buford, though, did not seem worried.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

Isabella reached into Buford's bag and pulled something out of it before he could stop her. The others, particularly Adyson, were shocked when they saw what Isabella was now holding in her hands.

A plastic bag of partially-thawed duck meat.

"I dunno how that got in there!" Buford exclaimed.

Pinky jumped up and ripped a hole in the side of the paper. One by one, more plastic bags slid out of the bag and fell to the floor, landing at Buford's feet. When all was said and done, the amount of duck meat easily totaled around eight pounds.

"Adyson's dream was to open up a cupcake shop. But that wasn't Buford's. He wanted to open up a small restaurant that served a menagerie of items. The main ingredient in all of them? **DUCK!**"

Buford gasped. "That's plop, and you know it!"

"Oh, do I?"

The evidence was displayed before all of them. Gretchen had pulled a cart from the back that had a three-pound bag of bread crumbs and two one-gallon jugs of fryer oil on it. Katie was holding a binder that had potential cupcake ideas on the first few pages and sketches of duck-laden items, including what appeared to be the shop's signature item, duck nuggets, in the back. Finally, Holly pulled Baljeet from the kitchen. He was dressed as a chef, complete with dry sweat, grease, and certain red-colored stains on his apron.

"I am enslaved!" cried Baljeet.

Buford was attempting to explain it all away, but by now Adyson had heard enough, and she was going to put her foot down.

"I thought we had agreed that the only way this was going to work was if we did my cupcake shop! But to come here and learn that you intended to go ahead with your duck-themed restaurant scheme anyway... that, that hurts, Buford!"

"But..."

"Three-quarters of the money we've put into this shop was from my savings! It was **MY** money! **MY MONEY!** Buford, I was saving that for college!"

"You won't need college after you see how much money we make off of duck nuggets!"

Adyson sighed.

"Buford. The reason I didn't want to do your duck idea is... that it's illegal."

Buford was stunned. "Wha?"

Isabella nodded. "Congress passed the law three months ago. You can go to the jail for being in possession of any amount of deceased fowl meat for consumption by yourself or others."

"Oh. That explains all this then."

Buford was referring to the cop car that was now parked in front of the shop. And the two police officers that were now standing on either side of him. Or, most importantly, that he was now in handcuffs.

_With that, the Gumshoe Gals' latest case was closed! Isabella and the others found out what had happened to Adyson, they got her wishy-washy boyfriend busted for illegal possession, and now not only will everyone at school finally know who they are, but so will the rest of Danville._

_Something tells me that the Gumshoe Gals are going to be swamped with new cases for weeks to come._

_And they'll have me, the school's intrepid new star reporter, to thank!_

* * *

><p>At the Fireside Girls' lodge, and finally back in color...<p>

"And... **SEND!**"

Holly clicked the 'send' button with the mouse, which posted all four fantasy entries, including her own, to the troop's online blog.

"That was pretty good," Isabella admitted. "Just one thing..."

"Yeah?"

"How is that fantasy?"

"You're kidding, right? Seeing Buford date any of us, particularly Adyson, is **TOTAL** fantasy."

Isabella thought about it for a second.

"Huh. Can't argue with that logic. I guess I've got no choice but to award with the Fantasy Storyteller Patch!"

"Second!" agreed Gretchen, without hesitation.

"Cool! Thanks!"

Holly got up from her seat, and the trio headed for the storage bin where all of the rarer patches were held.

"Let's just hope Adyson doesn't find out about this," Isabella said aloud.

"She's too busy to worry about a little tall tale," Holly replied.

Holly knew that for sure, but probably not for the reason Isabella was thinking at that moment. It did not matter anyway.

The truth would come out soon enough.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>And 'Fireside Fantasy Month' ends with a tribute to old-school detectives, with the noir-like setting, a detective team with a mascot that can somewhat speak human, and an over-the-top chase scene (inspired by an underrated Disney 'toon called "Fillmore" - perhaps you've heard of it?). Along with that themed month's conclusion, though, comes the last few sentences of this chapter, which redirects us back to this season's main storyline.<p>

In next week's episode, rumors start spreading on the Internet that get Ginger's undivided attention. But the biggest rumors being spread actually involve Katie, and those might end up putting a fellow classmate's life in jeopardy... and she might not even realize it!


	37. The Big Cyber Mistake

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

The good news? The final three episodes this season are part of the main story arc. The bad news? This week's episode is the requisite moral-laden one for the season.

In season one, Ginger learned not to steal. In season two, Holly had to contemplate whether or not to bust a cheater. In this season's episode, Katie tackles two important topics that often go hand-in-hand. And that's often not a good thing. Both are very relevant nowadays, as most readers might attest to. Come along and see what lessons Katie learns tonight!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entries #411 &amp; #415 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 308-309)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #421 - Written by Katie<em>

_As of late, I've been finding it harder and harder to spend time with the other girls outside of school..._

_Gretchen and Holly were doing a social experiment together, Adyson was volunteering her time to pick up roadside trash, Isabella was taking a sword-wielding class, and Milly... she's been spending time with other people after we had our little tiff over our fantasy story._

Katie had been ushered into an Internet cafe by Ginger, who wanted to show her something. She turned the monitor slightly so that Katie could see what website she was on. And once she did, Katie became mesmerized by it.

_Suddenly, I had my answer! When all my real-life friends were too busy to hang out, I could do what any normal kid does these days._

The site Ginger was on? Twatter.

_Talk with my online friends._

**-  
>Entry #421 [FSD313] - The Big Cyber Mistake (02.25.03)<br>-**

CinnamonLuv: Isn't this the best?  
>Cute_Kat: It is!<br>Cute_Kat: How come I've never heard of this 'til now?  
>CinnamonLuv: It's the best kept secret on the 'Net!<br>Cute_Kat: I'll say.  
>Cute_Kat: It's just like talking to each other face-to-face.<br>CinnamonLuv: Only better!  
>CinnamonLuv: 'Sides, only uncool kids do that nowadays.<p>

Zoom out to show that Ginger and Katie were sitting at computer terminals right next to each other.

_Yes, I'm now into social networking! It's the best! My tag is Cute_Kat! Get it? Get it? Get... oh, never mind!_

"A dozen tailers in your first hour? Someone's Miss Popular!"

"I wouldn't have gotten this far without you, Ginger!"

Suddenly, a new twatt appeared on Ginger's screen. It immediately got her attention.

BufordDaBully: Got a sighting for ya.

"Buford is on Twatter?"

"Even someone like him has to get with the times," explained Ginger. "Plus, it's the only way I can keep in touch with him after Mom took my phone for going over my text message limit."

CinnamonLuv: Where?  
>BufordDaBully: Outside Rocco's.<p>

Ginger gasped. "That pizza place is the new hotspot for first dates!"

"And?"

"There's a rumor going around that Baljeet and Adyson are an item! Well, not on my watch! I'm gonna give her a piece of my brain... or however that goes!"

Ginger logged off and ran out of the cafe.

"Baljeet with Adyson?" Katie thought out loud. "Nahhhh..."

* * *

><p><em>I quickly became obsessed with Twatter! It became the fifth-most important thing in my life, behind school, but ahead of homework.<em>

Katie was sitting in her room, on the computer and on Twatter, instead of doing her homework, which was in a messy pile on her bed.

_It didn't take long for me to amass a few dozen tailers, and to be tailing a few dozen myself. Including someone role-playing as strawberry shortcake! He makes great jokes about how to bake him!_

_Why am I suddenly hungry?_

_Anyway, there are also a few people I tail who I found out not only go to Danville Elementary, but are also in the same grade as me!_

saladlover: I don't understand why we have to learn about history.  
>saladlover: It's the 21st Century. That stuff's history!<br>9stringpeas: Good l!  
>Cute_Kat: Yeah, that's funny!<br>MissFlawles: You know your stuff, Nina!  
>saladlover: No rn, MissFlawles!<br>saladlover: I'm saladlover!

_We talk about a lot of stuff. School, clothes, boys... y'know, girl stuff that half of you don't want to be bothered with._

_And then there's..._

Cute_Kat: I'm tailing FabAmber now. She goes to our school too.  
>saladlover: Untail her.<br>saladlover: She's not like us.  
>Cute_Kat: Really?<br>saladlover: Just look at her PI.

'PI' meant photo icon, which Katie was looking at as she typed. She was a ten-year old too, like Katie and her new friends, though she was a little big-boned for her age. She was bigger than Baljeet, but not quite as hefty as Buford.

Cute_Kat: I don't get it.  
>saladlover: She's fat.<br>Cute_Kat: That's... fat?  
>Cute_Kat: I mean, I've seen fat people before, but...<br>saladlover: Trust me. Fat, fat, fatty fat!  
>FabAmber: I'm not dfat!<br>FabAmber: fat!  
>saladlover: Says the girl with fingers too fat she hits two keys at once.<br>FabAmber: Not fat!  
>FabAmber: I'm not! Not, not, not, not!<br>saladlover: Heh. That'll scare her off.  
>Cute_Kat: Wasn't that a little mean?<br>saladlover: Oh, she don't care.  
>saladlover: She's thick-skinned. And big-boned. It bounces right off her.<br>saladlover: Like cookie crumbs.  
>9stringpeas: Good l!<p>

A little uncomfortable with what was going on, Katie decided to log off. As she did so, she missed seeing a Twatt from Amber.

FabAmber: People so mean. Want to cut self.

* * *

><p><em>Despite what happened, a few days later I met with saladlover - whose real name is Nina - and her friends at lunch. Since the four of us and FabAmber haven't been on at the same time since then, I figured that they had made up and all was okay between them.<em>

_Nope!_

As Katie chatted in person with Nina and her two friends at the table, suddenly a girl who resembled the one in FabAmber's PIT walked their way, as there were unclaimed seats nearby. Katie abruptly ended the conversation as she got up and approached the girl... and her friends did the same.

"Hello, Amber!"

Nina snatched Amber's chocolate milk carton off of her tray and held it in front of her face.

"I don't think you need the chocolate milk. If you grew anymore, you'd be too fat to fit in this school! **HA HA HA HA!**"

The other two girls joined Nina in laughing at Amber.

"Stop! I'm not fat!"

"Whatever you say, Fat Amber!"

"I'm not fat!"

The three girls kept making fun of Amber's weight. Katie continued to watch from her seat. She thought about stopping them, but she did not want to upset Nina, whom by this point, she considered a friend.

"Katie!"

Katie heard Nina call her name.

"On a scale of one to fat, how fat is she?"

'She,' of course, was Amber.

_I didn't know how to answer! I know answering the question would hurt Amber's feelings, but not answering it would hurt Nina's! I had to figure out an answer that would be acceptable to the both of them._

_But I couldn't think of one, so I stalled for time, hoping I'd get cut off by the bell signaling the end of lunch. But considering we were only ten minutes in, that wasn't feasible. Had to think of something else._

_And then I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind._

"Whale!"

_That __**HAD**__ to be the day we had a quiz on marine animals in science._

Upon hearing Katie's answer, Amber started crying. She walked away with her tray of food, minus the milk carton, which was still in Nina's hands. Katie's first thought was to chase after Amber and apologize, but was stopped by Nina giving her a firm pat on the back.

"I knew you had it in you, Katie! Never thought of calling her animals! Thanks!"

"Yeah, heh heh... good one by me!"

She tried her best to sound appreciative for the compliment, but a part of her was not happy with herself. Meanwhile, Amber had found a spot where there was no one within at least four seats of her. Upon sitting, she started trying to stab her hand with the end of a straw.

_I felt bad for Amber. I didn't mean to call her a whale, and even if I did, it was only as a joke! Surely she understood that!_

* * *

><p><em>Unfortunately, Nina and her posse latched onto my joke, and started milking it for all it was worth.<em>

saladlover: FabAmber is as big as an elephant!  
>MissFlawles: What?<br>saladlover: An elephant.  
>MissFlawles: What?<br>saladlover: **AN ELEPHANT!**  
>FabAmber: Stop! I'm not!<br>saladlover: Elephant! Elephant!  
>Cute_Kat: Enough with the elephant.<br>saladlover: Sure! Now she's a whale!  
>saladlover: Whale! Whale!<br>FabAmber: I'm not a whale!

_At first, I told them it was time to stop. When they didn't, I told them again. And then Nina started ignoring me, as did her girls. Unless I joined in the mockery. I didn't want to, but I had to! Nina was essentially the cool kid in our grade level, and were really the only people I could talk to the past few days 'cause Isabella and all the others were always too busy._

_It was basically 'hang out' with her or no one at all._

* * *

><p><em>But even I had my breaking point. As did Amber...<em>

saladlover: Youre so fat that you use a shovel instead of a fork!  
>9stringpeas: good l!<br>MissFlawles: You tell that overwait ox!  
>FabAmber: Stop! I'm not fat!<br>saladlover: Fat fat fatty fat fat!  
>Cute_Kat: K, girls. That's enough.<br>saladlover: Just telling it like it is. And she's a cow!  
>MissFlawles: Yeah she is<br>9stringpeas: Yes.  
>Cute_Kat: But you're hurting her feelings.<br>FabAmber: It is enough.  
>FabAmber: I'm done.<br>saladlover: I'm not!  
>FabAmber: In 10 minutes, I will be.<p>

Katie leaned away from the keyboard for a second, unsure of what Amber was hinting at. But before she could ask...

FabAmber: Jumping of the pier.  
>FabAmber: Off.<p>

Katie gasped. She erased what she had been typing and replaced it with a more appropriate question.

Cute_Kat: Why?  
>MissFlawles: You're so not.<br>saladlover: Whatevs. No one cares.  
>Cute_Kat: Why would you say that?<br>saladlover: She's not gonna do it, Cute_Kat. Just watch.  
>saladlover: And even if she does.<br>saladlover: No one's gonna miss her.  
>Cute_Kat: I will!<br>Cute_Kat: FabAmber, don't do it!

Katie was no longer in front of the computer, as she had left to find Amber.

* * *

><p>Amber slowly trudged to the end of the pier, wearing a backpack. Along the way, she passed a man and his son heading in after having done a little fishing; they were unaware of what the 10-year old was about to do. Once at the edge, she stopped. She stood there quietly, staring out towards the sea as thoughts raced through her mind about whether or not to go through with this.<p>

"**STOP!**"

Katie ran onto the pier from the land-connected end, trying to get Amber's attention before it was too late.

"**STOP! AMBER!**"

Amber slowly spun around. Katie stopped about 20 feet away from her. She held up one finger to signal she needed time to catch her breath. But once she had, Katie knew she had a tough task ahead of her.

"Amber, don't jump!"

"Why not? So I can live with everyone calling me fat over and over again?"

"No one's calling you fat."

That was a lie, and Amber knew it. She took one step backwards, leaving the heel of her right foot positioned just over the edge of the pier. Realizing her mistake, Katie corrected herself.

"Not everyone is... calling you fat?"

"But pretty much everyone is! Even you were!"

"I... I didn't call you fat."

Amber frowned. She took a step back with her left foot. Now both of her heels were at the edge.

"**AAH!** Okay, okay, I did call you fat, but I didn't mean it!"

"You didn't?"

"No! I just had to say something, and that was the first thing I could think of! I was joking! I thought the other girls were, too!"

"Well, they weren't! Those girls have making fun of me and my weight since the first day of school! Girls like them are the reason my family moved away from my last school! I thought things would be different here! But they weren't!"

"I don't know what happened where you lived before, Amber, but Danville's different! Most of the people here are friendly and always willing to lend a hand to those in need!"

As if Katie had planned it, a number of people were starting to gather at the start of the pier, mostly out of curiosity. But she had not, and the sudden increase in the number of witnesses seemed to be making Amber nervous.

"That's what my parents told me. But then I met you!"

Amber pointed a finger angrily at Katie.

"M-m-me?"

"There wasn't a Fireside Girls troop in my old town, but I'd heard stories about how you're all righteous and spunky, and... and good-hearted! But when you started mocking me just like the others, that broke my heart!"

"I... I'm sorry! I had a lapse in judgment! I fooled myself into believing that I wasn't hurting anybody. But I realize that I was wrong! I should've not joined in to begin with! In fact, I should've stopped it before it got this far! I've besmirched the good name of the Fireside Girls for what I've done, but I'll never forgive myself if this ends with you jumping!"

Amber listened intently as Katie pleaded for her to not take her own life.

"I know I've committed the bigger wrong here, Amber, but listen to me! If you think everyone will be happier when you're gone, then you're wrong! Think about your parents! Your neighbors! Your teachers! Your classmates! Your... friends."

Amber seemed genuinely worried about all of those people... until Katie got to 'friends,' that is."

"What friends? I don't have any friends!"

"You have one. Well, that is... if you'll forgive her for what she did."

"You... you mean..."

Katie nodded.

"I wanna do the right thing. I'll stand up for you, both in school and online. No one should have to endure being made fun of every waking moment of their lives. But I can't do that unless... you step away from that ledge, friend."

Katie reached out her arm, hoping she had convinced Amber to not jump. At first, Amber did not move, as apparently she was still debating whether to believe her or not.

And then...

Amber smiled. This, in turn, made Katie sigh with relief.

"Whew! That was close."

Amber started to take off her backpack, which was when Katie first realized that she had put something heavy in it to weigh her down. Unfortunately, Amber had forgotten how close she was to the edge of the pier, and once she had slid the pack off of her left shoulder, the sudden shift of weight to the right was enough to pull her off-balance...

...and cause her to fall sideways off the pier.

"**AAAAAHHHHH!**"

"**AMBER!**"

Katie reached the end of the pier just in time to see Amber's body hit the water awkwardly, in somewhat of a belly flop. With no time to waste, Katie dived off of the pier as is, hoping to get to Amber before it was too late.

Once underwater, Katie swam as fast as she could to the rapidly-sinking Amber, who was fighting to get her backpack to slide off of her other arm. She hit bottom before she could get free, eight or nine feet under the surface at that point. But even then, Amber started to flail her arms and legs around in a panic.

_As I got to Amber, I had come to a frightening realization._

_She didn't know how to swim._

Katie reached Amber and forced her to put her arm around her. The blonde-haired girl then fought to swim upwards, towards the surface.

_That was going to be a problem._

Already, Amber was struggling to breathe, as she put her free hand over her mouth to keep in what little air she had left to use in. And given the amount of energy Katie was exerting to try to swim them both upwards, her air supply was quickly dwindling as well.

_My worst fear was about to be realized. Not only did I drive a fellow classmate to end her own life, but in trying to stop her, I may have just cost myself mine as well._

_And then..._

Katie faintly heard several people enter the water, all within the span of a second. It turned out to be Isabella, as well as Gretchen, Holly, and Adyson, coming to their rescue. They separated Katie from Amber, who allowed Isabella and Adyson to take her. Gretchen and Holly then followed, pulling Katie to the surface.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, Katie and Amber were being checked out by paramedics as they sat on the beach, each with a towel wrapped around them. The one doing the examination walked away for a minute, giving the two girls a chance to chat.<p>

"Thanks for saving me," Amber said in gratitude.

"You shouldn't be thanking me. You were in this situation because of me! You should be thanking them."

Katie was referring to Isabella and the others, who were in the midst of drying themselves off with towels as well. Suddenly, Isabella walked over to them.

"I'm Isabella, leader of Troop 46231. I hear you've got a bully problem. We'd like to help!"

Katie then added, albeit cautiously.

"That is... if you'll let us."

Amber wrapped her arms around Katie and hugged her.

"I will! Thanks... friend!"

Katie smiled.

* * *

><p>Two days later, in the cafeteria...<p>

Amber was walking towards an empty seat, and once more, her path took her past Nina and her friends.

"I told you she wasn't gonna go through with it!" Nina loudly boasted.

She got up out of her seat to block Amber's path, and her friends did the same. Nina grabbed the chicken sandwich off of Amber's tray and held it up in front of her face.

"Chicken? How appropriate... for a chicken! **HA HA HA HA!**"

The other two girls also laughed.

"Put that chicken down!"

Nina looked left and saw Katie walking up.

"You're on her side, Kat? Ugh, whatevs... like I'm gonna listen to you!"

Nina then felt someone poke her on the back. She spun around and saw Isabella standing there, along with Adyson, Gretchen, and Holly. Outnumbered by a ratio of two-to-one, Nina had no choice but to put the sandwich back down on the tray.

"Looks like Amber got protection!"

"Not protection," clarified Katie. "Friends!"

Nina rolled her eyes. "Whatevs."

Nina picked up her tray and walked off, abandoning the seat where she had been sitting. Her two flunkies did the same, without hesitation.

"Come on," Katie told Amber. "You can sit with us!"

The group walked off to their regular table, with their new friend Amber in tow.

_Nina and her posse never bothered Amber ever again after that. I made sure of it._

* * *

><p>That afternoon, at home, Katie was seen un-tailing Nina and her girls on Twatter. She then started up a chat with Amber, as well as some other classmates and friends, who were all a lot nicer.<p>

_I've learned a valuable lesson over the past week. Just because you're online doesn't give you the right to make fun of people. You're still chatting with other people. Just because you can't see their reactions to what you type doesn't mean that they're not hurt by them. There's no true for-sure way to tell if someone's joking or being sarcastic or something like that. You may think what you're typing is funny, but someone else might take it as a hurtful insult. Which could lead to some terrible things._

* * *

><p>An hour later, Katie was now outside, throwing around a frisbee with Amber at Danville Park.<p>

_As for Amber, her parents have sought out help. She's started seeing a therapist so they can learn where she got the idea for committing suicide and why she had to resort to that. I'm confident that she'll get things figured out and that she's going to be okay._

'_Sides... as her friend, I'll do whatever I have to in order to make sure she never goes down that road again._

Katie tried to grab the frisbee in midair, but it slipped through her hands, hit her in the head, and then fell to the ground. Amber laughed at Katie's failed attempt, and Katie did as well.

_Because that's what friends do._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So, as you can see, the issues are two very important ones in this day and age: cyberbullying and suicide. Naturally, there's only so much that can be said on these subjects in an 11-page episode, but Katie basically pushes what I wanted to pass along in this. One, always think about what you say online, because you may mean one thing, but another person might think it means something else. And sometimes that 'else' may result in the latter person doing something that may cause him or herself harm. This brings me to point two, that suicide is not the way out of getting cyberbullied. It only brings pain to yourself, but also to your family, your friends, and everyone else you know! If you have a tendency to purposely cause bodily harm to yourself or know someone who is, seek help immediately! I've heard way too many stories over the past couple of years about people, particularly teenagers, who have committed suicide because of rampant online bullying, and it's time to put a stop to it! Get informed! There are tons of resources about cyberbullying and suicide prevention that you can read, both online and in your local library! Don't be a part of the problem; be part of the solution!<p>

Whew! Now that the serious stuff is out of the way...

Next week, Isabella learns that the music program is about to get cut at Danville Elementary. To save it, she and the girls might have to "get the band back together." Meanwhile, Ginger makes a shocking discovery that might turn the Fireside Girls upside down, in this season's penultimate episode!


	38. Save the Music!

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Thanks to all of you who had something to say about last week's 'special' episode. I realize it's a very hard topic for a generally light-hearted series, but this was a case where I believe I was justified in presenting such an episode.

This week, drama of a different kind! Won't spoil much upfront... just know I wrote two new songs just for this episode. It's been awhile since I wrote music in this series, so I was afraid I'd be rusty. I think they turned out okay, but I'll let you judge for yourself.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney. Songs used are written by me and cannot be used without my permission.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entries #103, 407, and 421 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 105, 305, and 313)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #424 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Recently, something terrible happened..._

Isabella had pulled Phineas's shorts down, revealing his underwear.

"HA!" pointed out Buford. "Isabella just pantsed Dinner Bell!"

Everyone laughed mockingly at Isabella's embarrassing mistake.

_**NOT THAT!**_

* * *

><p><em>I'm talking about this!<em>

Isabella was walking up to the bus stop on a cloudy Monday morning...

_P.S. Remind Gretchen to take that entry down..._

"Hey, Phineas! Whatcha... do-"

She cut herself off mid-catchphrase upon seeing Phineas holding a protest sign that read 'Save the music!' Ferb, Buford, and Baljeet were also there, and they had similarly adorned signs in their possession as well.

"'Save the music?'"

"It's terrible, Isabella! The school's being forced to shutter the music program due to budget cuts!"

Isabella gasped. "Oh no!"

"Music is such an important part of our lives! Almost as important as making every day count! I know today's a scheduled day off from school, but we're all going to protest in the courtyard!"

"Hmmm," hummed Isabella, as she started to think. "That's nice and all, but I think this requires something more than simple picketing."

Isabella cleared her throat, and said the key words.

"I know what we're gonna do this week!"

**-  
>Entry #424 [FSD314] - Save the Music! (03.04.03)<br>-**

Isabella was walking through the Googolplex Mall, and she had a lot on her mind.

_I managed to have a chat with the principal, and got him to hold off on shutting down the school's music program until the end of the week. But I still had no idea how I was going to save it._

She stopped upon seeing something playing on a TV as she passed by an electronics store. It was a cartoon about a group of high school girls who formed a band.

_And then... inspiration!_

* * *

><p>Isabella was now sitting at a table in the food court, and Gretchen, Adyson, and Holly were there as well.<p>

"Where's everybody else? Never mind... the four of us'll have to handle it."

"With what, Chief?" questioned Gretchen.

"Surely by now, you've heard that our school has decided to cut the music program. We've got until Friday to raise enough money to save it."

The girls seemed hesitant. They wondered if such a feat was possible.

"Phineas and Ferb are working on something, but I figure us Fireside Girls should be the ones taking point on this task! And I have a great idea for a fundraiser!"

Isabella pulled out the 'Phineas and the Ferb-Tones: Gitchie Gitchie Goo' single CD and placed it in the center of the table.

"But Phineas and Ferb swore they'd never sing that song again!" Adyson recalled. "No one way they'd let us borrow it."

"We don't have to!" Isabella said in response. "We can write our own song! And a couple more on top of that."

"And a name? We can't exactly call ourselves the Ferb-Tones. Or the Ferbettes."

"I'm sure we'll figure something out. But first things first... we have to get some instruments, write some songs, and find a place to practice!"

Holly jumped in excitedly. "Leave that to me!"

* * *

><p><em>Holly led us into Merry Melody, the newest store to set up shop at the mall. While she had a word with the ownermanager, we all decided to do a little browsing..._

"Ooh!" cooed Isabella, as her eyes caught sight of a beautiful electrical guitar.

She ran over to it and picked it up from its slot on the wall. To her surprise, it was a little heavier than she thought it would be.

"Whoa! Never knew they could weigh this much. But..."

She pulled the strap over her head so that the guitar was now hanging from her body. Using her left hand to hold up the instrument's neck, she raised her right arm up into the air. She then quickly brought it back down, as if to strum the instrument, even though her fingers never actually touched the strings.

And then... Isabella let her imagination run loose...

* * *

><p>A packed amphitheater screamed Isabella's name over and over again as the rest of her bandmates could only watch as their leader as she riffed through a guitar solo that would make even Joan Jett jealous.<p>

The instant she finished, the crowd erupted with monstrous applause. Isabella, sweating from playing so hard, was quickly rewarded for her efforts. Phineas had gotten onto the stage and was running towards her, with arms spread wide open. She let him get to her, allowing the triangle head-shaped boy to embrace her in a hug.

"That was amazing!" Phineas exclaimed. "I can't live a single moment more without you by my side! Isabella, take me away from this place!"

"You got it!" squealed Isabella.

A magical cloud appeared off to the right side of the stage. The crowd cheered as Isabella pulled Phineas by the arm, onto the cloud. Everyone watched, astonished, as Isabella played her guitar, powering up the fluffball. That allowed the cloud to rise up into the sky, carrying the couple up into the heavens, never to be seen again...

* * *

><p>"Isabella? Isabella!"<p>

Isabella woke up to the feeling of Gretchen gently shaking her.

"Another Phineas daydream?"

Isabella sighed.

_Yep. Another Phineas daydream._

Holly walked up to the pair, unknowingly trudging past Ginger - who was hiding her face behind a music magazine - and she had a smile on her face.

"Good news! The owner's willing to give us a gigantic discount on any instruments we want for the concert! All we have to do is agree to let the shop sponsor us! We get a great deal; she gets free advertising! It's win-win!"

"Great job, Holly!"

"There's even more! There's a place a few blocks from here that rents out rooms-by-the-hour. Rooms for musicians to practice in! The owner here is good friends with the owners there, and she booked us a room for us to use. Even better, she's footing the bill!"

"That's incredible! I never knew you were such a good negotiator! We should really let you handle business deals from now on."

"Yes. Yes, you should."

* * *

><p><em>With instruments taken care of, the rest of elements needed to pull off a successful fundraising concert fell into place like as if they were all part of a musical montage.<em>

_Speaking of which... __**MUSICAL MONTAGE!**_

Tuesday afternoon...

Rock music played in the background as the girls went shopping for outfits to wear for the concert. Adyson led the way, pulling out different wardrobe combinations for the others to try out.

The impromptu fashion show featured them all dressing up as the 'Spice Girls,' 'Josie and the Pussycats,' and 'The Pussycat Dolls.' They then move on to trying on private school uniforms, barista uniforms, running sweats, Perry the Platypus costumes, KISS outfits with makeup included, and Phineas' trademark clothes.

After an hour of trying clothes on, they finally found a set of clothes they could all agree on... their own self-sewn Fireside Girls' uniforms. Satisfied, they headed out, walking past a pile consisting of everything that had tried on. Once they were well out the door, Ginger popped out of it. She wanted to follow the others, but was stopped by the store employees, who were not too pleased with the mess.

* * *

><p>Wednesday evening...<p>

The girls were all in Isabella's bedroom, presenting song lyrics they had written the previous night. Isabella quickly voiced her disapproval of both Gretchen's and Adyson's lyrics, which were about books and a rip-off of a certain song of determination, respectively. They responded by shooting down Isabella's childish ideas to sing about unicorns, rainbows, and cupcakes.

But after one look at Holly's inspired from-the-heart lyrics about real life, they quickly shoved all their paper and pencils her way, designating her the songwriter. As she went to Isabella's window to adjust the blinds before starting her work, she unknowingly spooked Ginger, who was atop a ladder and peering into the room. Ginger screamed as she and the ladder fell backwards. Holly took a peek through the glass to see if someone was there, but there was no light on that side of the house, and thus, she could not see the ladder lying on the grass. Or Ginger's sprawled-out body, for that matter.

* * *

><p>Thursday afternoon...<p>

The girls were practicing in the studio the owner of Merry Melody had rented out for them. Their music was starting to come together. They just need a second vocalist, just so Isabella was not carrying the whole load. Gretchen declined an audition on the spot; Adyson was so bad that Isabella jokingly threatened to kick her out of the band if she tried to sing another note. Holly, though, stepped up once more, singing with the voice of a soulful angel. Isabella was so impressed that she decided to make Holly lead vocalist instead of herself, to the latter's shock and joy.

With everything seemingly under the control, the girls headed out of the studio, hoping to rest up for the concert tomorrow. On the way to the exit, they passed by Ginger, who once more was hiding behind a music magazine.

This time, though, Gretchen spotted her. Deciding Ginger was not busy at all after learning she had been tailing them the whole week for apparently no reason, Gretchen pulled out a stack of entries that still had yet to be posted on the troop's online blog. She assigned Ginger to do that, much to her chagrin.

* * *

><p><em>And before we knew it, it was the big night...<em>

The parking lot at Danville Elementary was already full, forcing many to park out in the street. Even if people managed to find a space, that was still no guarantee they would get in to see the show, as the multi-purpose room being used for the concert was going to be limited to standing room only.

Inside, all of the girls' equipment was already set up on stage. Phineas, Ferb, and Irving were in the midst of setting up video-recording equipment in a central aisle that split the rows of folding chairs in the room. As for the girls...

* * *

><p>They were in the music room, which for tonight was doubling as their dressing room. Isabella was seen wrapping up a talk with the school's music teacher, while Gretchen, Adyson, and Holly did last-minute checks on their outfits.<p>

As the teacher exited the room, she passed by Katie, who had come to give the band their five-minutes-to-curtain warning.

"You all look great!" Katie said, upon seeing the band's outfits.

"Thanks!" replied Isabella, in gratitude. "Are we all set?"

"Just one minor detail. Ginger's still MIA. She was supposed to help the guys pass around donation tins during the show."

"She'll be along," Gretchen said. "She's working on updating the blog."

* * *

><p>"Ginger! Sorry I'm late! Are you ready?"<p>

Stacy pushed open the door to her bedroom, which was slightly ajar. She knew Ginger was in there using her laptop, working on Fireside Girls' material. So she was surprised to find the room empty. In addition, her window was open, and her own bedsheets had been tied into a rope so that someone could climb down to the ground from there.

"This isn't funny, Ginger! Coltrane's waiting for us!"

Stacy thought about checking the bathroom, but she stopped moving when she noticed that her laptop was still on. She dragged her finger on the mousepad, bringing the monitor out of standby mode, and her eyes went wide upon seeing what was on screen.

"Oh, boy... this won't end well."

* * *

><p>Phineas could see that the room was packed to capacity as he approached the lead microphone on stage. Everyone went silent as he began his introduction.<p>

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls! Thank you for coming out to this special benefit concert to save the music program here at Danville Elementary! You've been mighty generous so far this week, but we're not quite at our goal yet! Hopefully tonight's performance will put us over the top!"

Backstage, Isabella and Holly were putting on their guitars, Adyson had her drumsticks gripped firmly in her hands, and Gretchen was slipping on some fingerless keyboarding gloves. Katie stood by the curtain, ready to pull it aside once Phineas had finished.

"So, without further ado... here's Fab-tastic Four!"

Katie pulled the curtain aside, and the four girls rushed out onto the stage, to a round of thunderous applause. They took their places and prepared to start.

"One! Two! A one, two, three, **FOUR!**"

On four, the girls started playing the intro to their first number. It was full of energy, and Isabella and Adyson drove it with the guitar strumming and drum banging, respectively.

15 seconds in, Isabella began singing.

"_One minute, we're at our desks! The next, we're on the road! We could be selling you cupcakes or dissecting a toad!_"

"For real?" questioned Adyson.

"_We may be everyday girls, who do extraordinary things! Like feeding the homeless, or climbin' Colorado Springs!_"

"Rocky Mountain high!" shouted Holly.

"_Tonight, though, it's different! This time, we need your help. The music program will be no more unless you scream and/or yelp._"

"Shouting works too!" bellowed Gretchen.

"_Help us save the music! Donate some money today! Please give until it hurts! **BUFORD**, put that club away!_"

"Oh, nuts!" grumbled Buford, who was about to hit a tuxedo-clad man in the second row with a billy club.

With that threat neutralized, Isabella went into the chorus, which she sung together with Holly.

"_Music helps us learn about teamwork! Music helps us keep our grades! And without music in all your lives, we probably wouldn't have those snazzy parades! Music pushes us to stay in school! Music brings us joy to all our lives! And with your generous help tonight, we'll ensure the music program survives!_"

* * *

><p>Outside the building, there was a familiar sight as Candace was arguing with the doorman, or doorgirl, in this instance, who was refusing to let her in.<p>

"I **DEMAND** you let me in there!" screamed Candace.

"Sorry," Milly told her. "Place is packed. Can't let anyone else in."

Suddenly, an irate Ginger stomped up to the door. Milly quickly went to the door and held it open for her.

"Thanks," grumbled Ginger.

"You let **HER** in?" growled Candace, as Milly let go of the handle and let the door swing closed by itself.

Milly gave Candace an 'Are you crazy?' look.

"You've never seen Ginger angry before, have you?"

* * *

><p>By the time Ginger made it into the multi-purpose room, the Fab-tastic Four was about to go into their final song of their set.<p>

"Thanks for all your donations tonight!" Isabella said to the crowd. "While Phineas and Ferb tabulate our final totals, let me take a moment to introduce ourselves, in case you don't know who we are."

Ginger found a space along the wall, about seven rows back, and she then turned her attention to the stage.

"I'm Isabella, on electrical guitar and co-vocalist for the Fab-tastic Four! Most of you know me as the leader of Fireside Girls Troop 46231!"

Isabella then pointed to her far left.

"Over there is Gretchen! She's our keyboardist tonight, and a rockin' one at that, right?"

The crowd shouted their agreement.

"Behind me is Adyson, our drummer! Who knew our class president could rock so hard, am I right?"

Cheering could be hard from the crowd, but Ginger was not a part of it. She seemed to be glaring daggers at Adyson, even though the brunette could not see her at all thanks to the lack of lighting over there.

"And last, but certainly not least, my fellow co-vocalist, who also happens to be one dynamite songwriter! She's our bass guitarist, Holly!"

The screams were loudest for Holly, who blushed with embarrassment.

"Th-th-thanks, Isabella!"

Isabella backed away a little from her mic, allowing all the focus to be on Holly.

"Our final number tonight is a little emotional," she told them. "You see, at our age, we've all started to have feelings. Feelings of love. For boys. You know, us girls start to believe that boys like more than eating bugs or rolling around in the mud. And boys stop worrying about catching cooties from us girls!"

A good part of the audience laughed at that remark.

"We're all going through various stages of crushing on boys right now. Some of us have already found our dream boy. Some of us think we might've found him. And some of us are still searching. Regardless of which category each of us fits into, I think we can all agree on one thing."

Holly then winked at the audience.

"Boys aren't that icky anymore."

With that, Gretchen started playing, in a slow, somber tone. Isabella and Adyson joined in soon after, in similar fashion. Holly moved her strumming hand from being in front of the guitar to around the microphone, which she gripped gently.

She started singing, which was Isabella and Adyson's signal to stop, leaving Gretchen's keyboard the carry the melody alone.

"_I used to think that all you did was play around in the mud. When I came around, you all hid. You said I was a dud. While you played with all your Joes, I did dress-up with my dolls. You ruined my parties with a hose and pelted me with baseballs. I believed all boys were just like you. None of you gave a darn. But just last week, there was a breakthrough... you gave me a hat made of yarn. I asked you, 'What is this?' You reply, 'I made it just for you!' Then you tried to give me a kiss; I had to bid adieu!_"

As Holly held that last note, Isabella jumped in...

"_Growing up is so crazy, crazy! The fine line between us gets hazy, hazy!_"

And then two sang the chorus together.

"_Snips, snails, and puppy dog tails meets sugar, spice, and everything nice! I used to think boys weren't all that, but it's something you work at! It doesn't take much to tip the scales. Heed me now, take my advice! If he tells you tomorrow that he loves you, you tell him, 'I love you, too.'_"

The crowd began swaying back and forth, in tune with the song. Holly let go of her mic in order to perform the song's long interlude, led by her bass guitar. Meanwhile, Isabella sidestepped towards Phineas, hoping to get an update on the progress. But, along the way, she tripped over the cord for her microphone stand, and fell face first onto the stage.

**THUD!**

Holly stopped playing immediately, as she ran over to help Isabella up. Phineas moved from where he was, too, walking up onto the stage.

"Are you okay?" Phineas asked.

"Uh huh," replied Isabella, her face red for multiple reasons.

"Can I tell you something?"

Isabella's eyes lit up. She stepped forward, hoping this was the moment she had been waiting for. Instead, Phineas held up the clipboard in front of her.

"**WE DID IT!** We raised enough money to save the music program!"

Upon hearing that, the crowd erupted with joy. As they celebrated, Isabella tried to advantage of the moment.

"That's great, Phineas! But isn't there something else you wanna..."

"I can't hear you, Isabella! But I think the crowd would love it if you finished your song!"

With that, Phineas walked back to his post. Isabella was stunned. Luckily, before she could get down, Holly put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Try again tomorrow?"

Isabella looked up at her friend and replied, with a smile.

"Oh, you bet!"

Gretchen and Adyson started playing once more, this time giving the song an up-tempo beat. Isabella and Holly went back to the center of the stage, where they sang the final chorus in unison.

"_Snips, snails, and puppy dog tails meets sugar, spice, and everything nice! I used to think boys weren't all that, but it's something you work at, you work at! Keep trying to get through, but if all else fails, issue him an ultimatum; be as cold as ice! Say he will regret it if he lets you go. He'll believe you; you're the one, **OH!** It doesn't take much to tip the scales. Heed me now, take my advice! If he tells you tomorrow that he loves you, you tell him, 'I love you, too.'_"

The girls stopped playing, but the song did not finish until all four of them repeated the final two lines, a cappella.

"_If he tells you tomorrow that he loves you, you tell him, "I love you, too!_"

The audience applauded the group for their fantastic performance. The lights came up in the room, and everyone got out of their seats to give the girls a standing ovation. The foursome was giddy at how well they had done, as they either took off their instruments or got up from behind them, and met at center stage for a group hug.

_We had the night of our lives on that stage, and we accomplished our goal of saving the school's music program! Sure, I bungled another shot at confessing my love for Phineas, but hey, par for the course, right?_

_The important thing is... everyone's going home happy tonight!_

The four joined hands as they walked up to the stage, and took a gracious bow. The ovation continued for a few minutes, as the girls waved and blew kisses to the crowd. All was well and good.

Until Adyson spotted Ginger staring at her on the right side of the room. The two's eyes stayed fixed on each other for a few seconds. Adyson gulped as she saw the anger in Ginger's eyes. Adyson knew Ginger had finally found out.

But Ginger decided to march out of the room without incident. They both knew this was not the time and the place to settle their issue. Tonight was a night to celebrate the salvation of Danville Elementary's music program. But come tomorrow...

Adyson was dead meat.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>You got singing, Phinebella, a Perry the Platypus appearance (sort of), and a Candace cameo. Almost a full-fledged 'Phineas and Ferb' episode, only with not so much of the boys and a lot of Isabella and the girls...<p>

For the curious, the two songs in this episode are titled 'Music Helps Us' and 'I Used to Think.' In having a music-filled episode, this also gives Holly another opportunity to show off her singing abilities, which is something I wish they'd give her a shot to do in the show. Her voice actress isn't doing anything right now anyway...

Now, next week, it's the moment of you all been waiting for! On the season finale of "Fireside Diaries," Ginger has finally learned that Adyson has been dating Baljeet. Now she intends to do something about it. Will Adyson be forced to break up with Baljeet? Or will she prove to Ginger that Baljeet should only be with someone he actually likes? Friends become rivals in the explosive season finale of "Fireside Diaries," one week from tonight!

(Psst... I've decided to give you all a chance to choose how the season will end! Go to my profile page right now and vote on the poll! You have to be signed in to your account to cast a vote! Note that this only applies if you're reading this the week that this episode is posted! So help decide the fate of the Adyson-Baljeet pairing... vote now!)


	39. Baljeet is Mine!

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Welcome to the season three finale of "Fireside Diaries!" The votes are in, and, to my surprise, the final tally was... 6-6! Unbelievable, right?

So who 'wins?' Well, read on and find out.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entries #415 &amp; #424 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 309 &amp; 314)<p>

* * *

><p>Someone started knocking at the wooden door. Two knocks, then a pause. Two more knocks, and another pause. Then six knocks in quick succession. But no one came to answer it.<p>

So the person on the other side opened it herself.

"Hello?"

Adyson cautiously took a few steps into the Fireside Girls' clubhouse. It appeared that no one was there, since the blinds were closed. Noting that, she breathed a sigh of relief and closed the door.

"I guess I'd better open the blinds."

She approached the nearest window, planning to raise the blinds in order to let some light in. But before she could grab it...

"**ADDYYYYYYYYYYY!**"

...she was tackled to the ground by an unknown assailant. Adyson and her attacker could be heard visibly struggling as they rolled around on the floor. They would have tussled for the rest of the afternoon, if not for the door suddenly swinging open.

"**STOP!**"

Holly entered the clubhouse and quickly raised the blinds of the nearest window. Once she had done that, enough light was pouring into the room so that Adyson could see who had just tackled her.

It was Ginger.

"Okay, okay, break it up!" Holly shouted.

Holly grabbed Ginger and pulled her off of Adyson before she could cause any physical damage. To Holly's relief, she had interfered just in the nick of time.

"Let go!" screamed Ginger, as she tried to get free. "Do you know what she's done?"

"I didn't do anything!" exclaimed Adyson, as she sat up.

"**YOU STOLE MY BOYFRIEND!**"

**-  
>Entry #425 [FSD315] - Baljeet is Mine! (03.11.13)<br>-**

_Entry #425 - Written by Holly_

_Adyson and Ginger. Both are members of Fireside Girls Troop 46231, and both are good friends. That was, of course, until they let a boy get between them._

"Baljeet is not your boyfriend!" argued Adyson.

"Yes, he is!" fired back Ginger.

"Just because it's on your Twatter bio doesn't make it true."

"Yes, it does!"

"Ugh! You're being childish!"

"Yes, I am!"

The two girls kept going back and forth while Holly stood between them, preventing them from tearing each other apart physically.

_You're probably wondering how I got stuck in the middle of this._

They both turned to Holly and shouted at her, in unison...

"**HOLLY! WHICH ONE OF US IS BALJEET'S BOYFRIEND?**"

Both girls growled at her, wanting an answer from her. The right answer.

"Uh..."

_Well..._

* * *

><p><em>After what happened on stage last night, Isabella wanted another shot at impressing Phineas. One that didn't involve falling on her face.<em>

Isabella was crossing the street, heading for the Flynn-Fletcher house. And she had her electrical guitar on, intending to play it.

"Wrote a new song just for Phineas," she said aloud. "And after I play it for him, I'll finally have the courage to tell him I love him!"

* * *

><p>"<strong>HOLLY!<strong>"

"Uh..."

* * *

><p><em>Gretchen... got roped into helping her.<em>

"Hurry up, Gretchen!"

Isabella rolled her eyes as she walked back to where Gretchen was. Together, she helped Gretchen pull a little red wagon, which had her keyboard resting on it.

"Ugh... you should've rented a keytar instead," grunted Isabella.

* * *

><p>"<strong>HOLLY! HOLLY! HOLLY!<strong>"

"Uh..."

* * *

><p><em>As for Milly and Katie? They finally made up after their fantasy kerfuffle...<em>

The two younger girls had smiles on their face as they sat in front of a computer at the Internet cafe.

"There!" Milly said. "I, the Loch Ness Monster, no longer eat the bluebird!"

"Good!" stated Katie. "Now we have to decide who's going to try to catch it!"

They thought about it for a second, and then shouted out their answers at the same time.

"Ginger!"

"Adyson!"

Unfortunately, they did not have the same idea.

"**WHAT?!**"

* * *

><p><em>And by process of elimination, that leaves... me.<em>

Adyson and Ginger were still waiting for an answer, and Holly had to give one. Fast. By this point, though, Holly had thought about all the facts, and was prepared to give what she believed to be the right answer.

"Neither of you."

"Say what now?" questioned Adyson.

"Oh, you better be kidding!" grumbled Ginger.

They were not happy with her answer, so Holly clarified it for them.

"Ginger, you've had a crush on Baljeet for more than a year, right? Well, why haven't you tried confessing your love to him?"

"Why do I have to? Isabella's been gaga over Phineas for much longer than that, and I don't see anyone pushing her to do the same!"

"'Cause everyone knows those two are meant to be. Some day. But you and Baljeet? Not so much!"

"Bu-"

"And you, Adyson... how many dates have you gone on with Baljeet?"

Adyson started holding up fingers. She was up to six when Holly interrupted her.

"I'm talking 'actual' dates. The time you two went to City Hall... doesn't count."

The brunette lowered one of her fingers...

"Neither does the one where you had to sit on the bus together that one morning..."

...and another...

"...or the two mass math tutoring sessions."

...and two more after that.

"Oh, and none that were done as a favor."

Adyson blinked in confusion. She did not remember any...

"The Valentine's Day dinner, Addy..."

...until Holly reminded her. Dropping another finger left her with...

"One. One date."

"You had an actual date?" shouted Ginger. "How come you didn't write about **IT** for the blog?"

"Because it was personal!" replied Adyson. "Not Fireside-related!"

"Regardless," interrupted Holly, "one single, solitary date does **NOT** make two people boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Since when? That's a bunch of baloney!"

"You know what, Adyson? What does Holly know about love? Where does she get off telling us who isn't Baljeet's girlfriend?"

"Yeah, Ginger! Should our debate really be settled by someone who hasn't even so much as held a boy's hand romantically?"

"Uh, hello?" Holly waved her arms. "Standing right here!"

"There's only one way to settle this! You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Oh, I'm definitely thinking what you're thinking!"

"I know what you two are thinking and it's definitely **NOT** the right answer!" screamed Holly.

_The smart thing to do would be to go up to Baljeet and ask him directly if either of them is his girlfriend._

"**WE'LL GO RIGHT UP TO HIM AND PERFORM A NUMBER OF TESTS SO HE CAN DECIDE WHO SHOULD BE HIS GIRLFRIEND! AND IT'S GONNA BE ME!**"

Before Holly could voice an objection, Adyson and Ginger ran out the door. Holly shook her head in disbelief.

_But you know what they say... love makes you dumb as a brick._

* * *

><p>Holly was running through the streets of downtown Danville, gasping for air as she chased after the girls.<p>

_Love also makes you run as fast as a cheetah, apparently._

Eventually, she made her way into Danville Park. And, sure enough, her romance-seeking friends were there, as was the mutual target of their affection.

"Hi, Baljeet!" both girls said at the same time.

"Oh! Hello, uh... Ginger and Adyson."

"He said my name first!" Ginger exclaimed. "One point for me!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Whatever. So, Baljeet, whatcha up to?"

Baljeet was sitting at a marble rock table, which was covered with a number of textbooks and a couple of notebooks.

"I am doing my homework!" he proclaimed proudly.

"Really?" questioned Ginger. "On a beautiful Saturday afternoon?"

"Yeah," added Adyson. "I'm sure it can wait."

Adyson pulled Baljeet off of his seat and towards her, doing so until their faces were mere inches away from each other.

"Wouldn't you rather take a nice stroll around the park? With a pretty girl?"

Baljeet's face starting glowing red. "Well, I..."

Ginger bumped Adyson out of the way with a shopping cart.

"Why walk, Baljeet, when you can get a ride from a pretty girl? No walking required!"

Baljeet's face gotten even redder. "Well, I..."

Adyson pushed Ginger and the cart aside, as she presented a kite to Baljeet.

"How about something less dangerous? Like learning how to fly a kite? I got my Kite Flying Teacher Patch last month, y'know."

"Well, I..."

Ginger suddenly reached in, wrapped the string around Adyson, and then unwound it, sending the brunette twirling away uncontrollably.

"Kite flying? Yawn! I got this great book we can read together, under the shade of a tree!"

The title of the book Ginger had? '10 Ways to Say I Love You.'

"Well, I..."

Adyson returned, this time with a tray of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies, which she was holding whilst wearing oven mitts.

"Cookies, Baljeet? They're sweet, just like me!"

Ginger countered with a freshly-prepared container of sushi, which did not require protection of any sort.

"Sushi, Baljeet? It's exotic, just like me!"

Baljeet hesitated to decide. Both options looked quite delicious to him. Unfortunately, the girls did not share the same opinion.

"Cookies, Adyson? Old-fashioned much?"

"Says the girl who went with sushi! Raw food, yuck! Oh, and where'd you get the shopping cart from? Taking it out from a supermarket parking lot is considering stealing, Hirano!"

"Oh, that's low! Stooping to using last names, Sweetwater! Also, you're one to talk, stealing my man!"

"He isn't your man to begin with!"

Ginger gasped. "You take that back!"

The two girls started throwing their food at each other. Adyson tossed her cookies, while Ginger flung her sushi. Baljeet, confused, backed out of the way.

_Looks like things are getting messy. Time to step in and explain things._

* * *

><p>Holly had succeeded in stopping her friends from making fools of themselves, and she was just finishing up explaining the reason of their dispute to Baljeet. And he could not believe it.<p>

"You two... you are fighting over me?"

Ginger and Adyson both nodded.

"I've liked you for more than a year!" admitted Ginger. "And Adyson started dating you even though she knew I liked you the way she likes you beforehand!"

"I started liking you for real just a few weeks ago," confessed Adyson, "and since Ginger had plenty of time to make a move and she didn't, I didn't feel all that guilty about asking you out on a date!"

The two then got in Baljeet's face and made a unanimous declaration.

"Which one of us are you in love with? Me or her?"

Baljeet was flattered. And frightened. He liked both of them, for sure. But did he love one of them?

"This... this is all so sudden! Oh my. Oh my!"

He pulled out a paper bag and started hyperventilating. Holly moved to quickly calm him down.

"We can give you some time to think about it."

Baljeet stopped. Maybe a few days to weigh all the pros and cons of each girl would help him make a rational and well thought out decision. If he made one at all.

"Okay," he nodded in agreement.

"Good. You have until tonight."

The three girls then walked away, with Holly pushing away Adyson and Ginger, both of whom were now engaged in a glare-off.

"**TONIGHT?**"

* * *

><p><em>That night...<em>

Baljeet closed the door to his bedroom, and then turned to face the girls. Holly was sitting backwards on Baljeet's deck chair, while Adyson and Ginger had parked themselves on his bed. The Indian boy took a deep breath, and then began...

"It has come to my attention that there is a disagreement in regards to which girl I desire to have relations with. Well, allow me to clear the air."

Baljeet coughed to clear his throat, and then he continued, as both Adyson and Ginger leaned in his direction, anxious to hear his answer.

"After careful consideration of all of the facts, the probabilities that one of you will cast feelings of shame and anger upon me after not being chosen, and two hours spent in the corner hyperventilating, I have made my decision."

Baljeet walked towards his bed, which was Holly's signal to bring out a special surprise. She pulled out a rectangular box from behind Baljeet's computer, where it had been hidden from view, and opened it. Baljeet stopped in front of Holly so he could reach in and pull out what was inside.

It was a rose.

Adyson and Ginger looked at each other in shock. Then they saw Holly with a teeth-flashing grin on her face.

_The rose? Completely my idea, 100 percent!_

_Okay, I maybe might've borrowed it from somewhere..._

Once Baljeet had the rose in hand, Holly rolled herself out of the way so she could watch the decision all unfold from a slightly safer distance. The young dark-haired boy took a few deep breaths to keep his nerves in check, and then he turned to face the pair that was sitting on his bed.

He extended his arms forward, holding the flower out in front of him...

"Do you accept this rose?"

...and in Adyson's direction. The brunette was visibly stunned.

"M-m-me?"

Baljeet nodded. Adyson took the rose and sniffed it. She then wrapped her arms around Baljeet and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you," she whispered, into his left ear.

Baljeet had made his decision, and Adyson was pleased about the result. But what about Ginger? Adyson let go of Baljeet and then turned to face her friend. Surprisingly, she was still sitting there quietly, having not reacted to the decision at all.

"Ginger?"

Cautiously, Adyson reached towards Ginger to get her attention. But just as Adyson's hand was about to touch Ginger's shoulder, the latter girl stood up in a hurry. Ginger's sudden movement spooked Adyson so much that she backed into Baljeet, who was knocked down to the floor.

"I am okay," muttered Baljeet.

Adyson wanted to help him up, but considering that Ginger was staring at her, she was afraid to turn her back to her.

"I guess that's that. Baljeet's made his choice."

Ginger definitely looked as if she was surrendering. She had no intention of dragging the fight out any longer.

"I... I'll just let myself out."

Ginger started making her way for the door. Adyson thought about going after her, but then she also remembered that she had knocked Baljeet down and that she should perhaps help him back up. Suddenly, she was forced to make a decision.

A quick decision.

"**BALJEET!**"

She reached down to grab Baljeet's arm, which was already in the air as he was about to verbally ask for assistance. Once she had a hold of it, she pulled Baljeet up to his feet.

"Sorry about that."

She let go, allowing Baljeet to use his own hands to dust himself off.

"It happens."

"I was thinking that Ginger would've been angrier that you chose me over... her?"

Adyson had turned around to point at Ginger, but she was gone. The Asian girl had left the room while no one was looking.

"I never knew that Ginger was that into me until today," Baljeet admitted.

"Well, Baljeet, she is. A lot. But..."

"But?"

Adyson reached for Baljeet's hand again, but this time, it was to give it a little flirtatious squeeze.

"I'm into you too, Baljeet! A lot! And nothing against Ginger, but if she really liked you, wouldn't she have confessed to you a long time ago?"

Baljeet shrugged his shoulders.

"I do not know."

"I, on the other hand... well, you already know that story. Plus, we know we already like each other!"

"Hmmm. That is true."

"Look. Despite how Ginger feels, you chose me! I'm pretty sure that if you liked her more than you liked me, you would've given her the rose! Right?"

"I concur."

Adyson gently squeezed Baljeet's hand again.

"You're happy you chose me, I'm happy you chose me, and Ginger took the rejection graciously. And even if she's more upset about it than she let on, I'm sure she'll be over it in a day or two."

"If you say so, Addy."

Holly, though, was not as certain.

"Didn't she try to rip you apart just a couple hours ago?"

"Water under the bridge," replied Adyson. "You saw her leave. She's fine."

"I... suppose..."

"Look, if you're that worried, I'll drop by her house in the morning, and chat about it. Just to make sure everything's okey-dokey, okay?"

"Alright. Then I guess my work here is done."

Holly was about to walk out, just so Adyson and Baljeet could get a few minutes alone as a couple for the first time. But then Buford walked into the room, out of the blue.

"I just passed a Fireside on the way in. You havin' a party?"

He then saw that Holly and Adyson were still in the room. He also noticed that was holding Baljeet by the hand. Buford smirked.

"Ah, so it's **THAT** kind of party. Rawr."

That insinuation got a pillow thrown into Buford's face, courtesy of Adyson.

* * *

><p>Outside, Ginger had just closed the front door behind her, and she quickly got onto the sidewalk so she could begin the lonely walk back home. Alone.<p>

"Just have to keep telling myself... if Baljeet's happy, I'm happy..."

Ginger walked away, continuously telling herself that not being with Baljeet was not the end of the world. But she could not help but take one last look over her shoulder, back at Baljeet's house, and that made her think...

"_...was giving up her first true love in order to ensure everyone was happy the right choice?" Well, if I was Ginger, that's what I'd be thinking at this moment. In my opinion, I think it was._

_What do __**YOU**__ think?_

**End Entry  
>End Season Three<strong>

**Author's Notes:**  
>And that's how season three comes to a close! Now that you've seen this season's main story arc reach its conclusion, Holly's ended it with a question. Will you respond?<p>

For those curious, since the vote ended in a tie, I made the decision on which ending would be the one you all would see. And that was the one I had originally planned to use before even deciding to do a vote! I would've been happy either way, but even so... I'm surprised that it even ended up a tie, since the majority of people who've stated their opinion about Adyson-Baljeet have been in favor or neutral about it, with barely anyone opposed. I don't know where all the Ginger-Baljeet shippers suddenly came from, but, hey, you guys almost pulled off what would've been, in my opinion, a huge upset.

Now, let's talk about season four. The good news is that the current plan is to do 13 episodes. The even better news is that the wait for it to begin is shorter than the gap between seasons one and two. Season four will premiere in June of this year, which is roughly three months away! So you won't be without more Fireside goodness for long!

Of course, this next part is the one everyone's been waiting for. This is when I open up my inbox for suggestions for ideas for episodes! I've done this after each season so far. I had no suggestions after season one; got three after season two, and I ended up using two of those. How many will I get this time? Ultimately, that's up to you guys (and I already have a couple in thanks to people who jumped the gun). I'll take both general and specific ideas of what you want to see - any of the latter will be properly credited if I use them - but do take note that I, as the author, have the only say in what gets used.

Ideas may be placed in one of the following: a review of this and **ONLY** this chapter, through PM, or drop me a line on Twitter (at freefightwriter). I'll accept suggestions through March 31st, 2013 or when I have the outline for the season set, whichever comes first. I will announce on Twitter and on my Fanfiction-net profile page when the suggestion box is closed. Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

There are a number of extras from this season I will be posting on my website sometime in the next few weeks. The link is on my profile page. Again, when those go up, check that profile page or my Twitter.

That being said, thanks for reading, as always! Hope you enjoyed season three of "Fireside Diaries," and I hope to see you all back here in June for season four. Good night, everyone!

- Freedom Fighter


	40. Aftermath

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

You guys wanted it, so... season four of "Fireside Diaries" has arrived! There's a lot happening this time around, but nothing happens until we show you what happened following the end of last season. You know, with Baljeet choosing Adyson over Ginger? Yeah, you remember.

Ginger seemed okay with the rejection. But is she really fine with it?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):  
><strong>- Entry #093 ("Phineas is Mine!")  
>- Entry #425 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 315)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #426 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_So, things have kinda been strange the last few days..._

Monday morning, at Danville Elementary...

"Ginger Hirano."

Mr. Worth was in the process of taking attendance. He had said Ginger's name clearly, yet when Isabella looked over to her friend's desk, she was not there.

"Ginger Hirano?"

Gretchen, Holly, and Adyson also turned to look towards Ginger's empty desk. Then they looked at each other...

* * *

><p><em>Ginger's kinda gone AWOL...<em>

Tuesday...

"Ginger Hirano?"

After looking at her once again empty desk, the girls then turned to look at Isabella, who shrugged her shoulders and gave an 'I don't know' look...

* * *

><p>Wednesday...<p>

"Ginger Hirano?"

Following another glance at Ginger's desk, Holly and Gretchen watched as Isabella glared across the room at Adyson, who in turn silently mouthed a 'What do you want me to do?' response.

* * *

><p>Thursday...<p>

"Ginger Hirano?"

While Mr. Worth prepared to mark Ginger absent for a fourth straight day, Adyson was seen handing a note to someone which, got passed around until it reached Isabella. She unopened it and saw that Adyson had written three words.

"She won't answer," Isabella read them, silently.

* * *

><p><em>After what happened over the weekend between her, Adyson, and Baljeet, we were beginning to fear the worst...<em>

Friday...

"Ginger Hirano? Is she absent again?"

Mr. Worth turned towards Isabella, expecting her to have an answer.

"Isabella? Do you know what's going on with Ginger?"

Isabella opened her mouth to answer...

_...and then..._

The door to the classroom swung open. Ginger entered, with a sad look on her face. But she was not alone, as her mom, Dr. Hirano, was with her. She and Mr. Worth talked for about a minute, during which time she handed him a doctor's note. Once they were done, she turned towards her daughter.

"No more sulking! Go!"

She pointed at Ginger's desk. Ginger nodded in compliance. She took her seat at her desk, and Dr. Hirano left so that attendance could resume. Mr. Worth continued while the girls all looked Ginger's way, all curious to find out where she has been the last few days.

**-  
>Entry #426 [FSD401] - Aftermath (06.10.13)<br>-**

At lunch in the cafeteria, Ginger was sighing in depression as she sat all alone, with no one within three seats of her at the table she was sitting at. And that was by choice. Isabella saw this from afar, still very concerned about her friend and fellow troop member.

"Something's not right."

The other girls nodded in agreement, including fifth-graders Katie and Milly, who had joined their elders. Gretchen vocalized what she thought based on her observations that morning.

"You don't think she's still... you know... that."

Suddenly, all eyes turned to Adyson. Seeing their stares, she immediately jumped to her own defense.

"Hey! She seemed okay with Baljeet's choice! And it's not like I haven't been reaching out and checking on her. I texted her every day after school this week, but she didn't respond to any of them! And when to her house the other day, her sister told me explicitly that Ginger didn't want to talk with me!"

"Yeah," interjected Milly. "I was there with her."

Adyson glanced down towards the end of the table, and specifically, towards Baljeet. Normally, the girls sat with the boys - mostly because of Isabella wanting to be next to Phineas - but today they had purposely sat down a dozen seats or so away from them so they could have this discussion about Ginger.

"Argh!" groaned Adyson. "She's making me feel like I'm the bad guy!"

"I'd say you are," noted Isabella, "but now's not the time. We have to check on Ginger and make sure she really **IS** over this."

"Fine. But she won't talk to me."

Isabella stood up. "Maybe she'll talk to me."

The girls watched as Isabella went over to Ginger.

"Ginger, can we talk?"

Isabella took a seat next to Ginger, but the second she did, Ginger decided to get up and walk away, leaving her half-full lunch tray behind.

"Ginger? Ginger!"

Isabella could only watch as Ginger, without doing so much as take one look back, marched right out of the cafeteria. Disappointed, Isabella returned to the others.

"See?" pointed out Adyson. "It's not just me... she won't talk to anyone!"

"We've got to get through to her," Gretchen spoke up. "In the state of mind she's in, who knows what she might do!"

"I agree," said Isabella, retaking her seat. "Time to use everything we've learned in getting our Group Intervention patches last month!"

Holly took out an intervention guide manual, Gretchen opened up the word processor program on her laptop, and Katie pulled out... a tray of fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies?

"What?" questioned Katie, seeing the strange looks the others were giving her. "Interventions need snacks!"

* * *

><p><em>We knew time was of the essence. The sooner we could get Ginger out of her depression and get over losing Baljeet to Addy, the better!<em>

The final bell had rang, and students streamed out of their classrooms and to their lockers, ecstatic that school was done for the week. But as other kids around them got their things, Isabella was preparing her troops for their intervention.

"Okay," Isabella said, huddled around Adyson, Gretchen, and Holly, "Ginger's taking a couple minutes to get make-up work from Mr. Worth. When she comes out of the classroom, that's when we surround her. Between the four of us, there's no way she'll escape!"

"Aye aye, Chief!" Gretchen saluted in agreement.

Adyson and Holly also agreed by simply nodding their heads. Isabella closed her locker and the group started heading back towards the classroom entrance.

"Oh, forgot something!" Isabella yelped. "I'll catch up."

Isabella ran back and opened her locker up once more. As she pulled out a log-shaped container with Fireside Girl Cupcakes inside, she heard a familiar catchphrase coming from a very familiar source.

"Ferb! I know what we're gonna do today!"

Meanwhile, at that exact moment, Ginger walked out of the classroom. Not looking where she was going, she bumped into Gretchen, who had stepped forward to provide first contact. As a result, her glasses fell to the ground.

"Hey! My glasses!"

Ginger walked by Gretchen, who squatted down and started feeling her way around the floor to find her eyewear. Holly was the next to confront Ginger. She opened her mouth to tell her to stop...

"Not now, Holly," Ginger said, without even looking at her.

Ginger started walking a little faster, having figured out what the girls were trying to do. Adyson came up next to her, and started matching her stride for stride.

"Ginger, we really, **REALLY** need to talk!"

"I have nothing to say to you, Adyson!"

She picked up her pace. Adyson did the same to keep up.

"We need to talk about..."

"I said I'm done!"

Again, Ginger sped up. And, once more, Adyson did the same.

"Ginger!"

"**LEAVE ME ALONE!**"

Suddenly, Ginger took off, running away from Adyson. The brunette attempted to give chase, but she tripped her own two feet and fell to the ground.

"Oomph! Isabella! She's getting away!"

In trying to warn Isabella, though, Adyson had pointed out her position to Ginger. The Japanese girl was almost to her, and as she passed, Ginger gave Isabella a 'try and stop me' look. Isabella, for her part, just stood there and let her friend run past without even attempting to stop her. Ginger reached the stairs without further impediment, escaping the intervention.

Adyson walked up to Isabella with a displeased look on her face, along with Holly and Gretchen - wearing her glasses once more - in tow.

"Izzy! You were supposed to have our back! What happened?"

When she did not respond, the girls decided to see what Isabella was staring at. Or, rather, who...

Phineas.

_Okay, okay! In my defense..._

_Yeah, I got nothing._

Adyson groaned while Gretchen snapped her fingers in front of Isabella's face, bringing her back to reality. It also helped that Phineas had started to walk away, with his stepbrother Ferb as well.

"Who, what, where, when, why?"

When Isabella came to, she saw Gretchen adjusting her glasses, Adyson dusting some dirt off of her clothes, and Holly staring at her with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Well, that was a great time to get lost in Phineasland," mumbled Isabella, sarcastically.

"Now what, Chief?" asked Gretchen. "By attempting an intervention, we may have just spurred Ginger into accelerating into an action that may not be good for her well-being!"

"We have to go after her!" suggested Adyson.

"No," Isabella said. "It's my fault she got away. I should be the one to go after her. Alone."

"But that's crazy! She'll just run away, like she did before!"

"Don't worry. I know of one way to get to her."

* * *

><p>Isabella reached up and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, the front door opened and Dr. Hirano stepped out.<p>

"Good afternoon, Dr. Hirano!" greeted Isabella.

"Hello, Isabella," she said in reply. "Let me guess... you're here to see Ginger?"

"Uh huh. Yes, ma'am."

"Good luck trying to get her to open up. I've tried, but apparently four-and-a-half years of medical school means nothing when it comes to 21st Century girl problems."

Isabella was ready to walk in, but just in case Ginger's mother was having second thoughts, she pulled out the log-shaped container from earlier and opened it to show off the three cupcakes inside.

"Cupcake?"

"You **DO** know those things are filled with sugar, butter, and other things that aren't good for your health, right?"

"Yes. Yes, I do."

"As long as we're clear."

She then took one from the container and took a bite into it. Isabella closed the container shut and went into the house, allowing Dr. Hirano to close the front door behind her. Isabella made her way to the kitchen, and in turn, to the sliding door that led into the backyard. But standing, or rather, sitting in her way, on a barstool, was Stacy. She was currently on her cell phone talking to somebody, but upon seeing Isabella approach, she prepared to stop.

"Candace, can you hold on a sec?"

Stacy lowered her arm so that her phone was held next to her at waist level, and then she got up and blocked the door.

"Sorry, Isabella, but Ginger told me not to let anyone through."

The two engaged in a stare down, with neither of them willing to make a move until the other did. Then, without warning, Isabella made her move.

"Cupcake?" she said, opening the container and flashing her cutest smile.

Stacy responded to the action the only way she knew possible.

"Thanks!"

She took one of the two remaining cupcakes and immediately took a bite out of it. Stacy then walked off, lifting her phone up to resume her conversation.

"So, like I was saying..."

With Stacy gone, Isabella could finally get to the backyard. She closed her carrier and slid the door open. After sliding it closed behind her, Isabella made her way to the larger of the two maple trees outside. As she approached the trunk, she saw some rope hanging down from a tree branch. And the end of the rope that was visible to Isabella was done up in a hangman's knot.

Her mind started thinking the worst, and her fears were realized when she saw a pair of legs straddling the large branch.

"No. No, no, no, **NO!**"

Hoping to stop Ginger, Isabella started running closer to the tree, throwing the cupcake container aside.

"Ginger! Don't do it! You have too much to live for!"

She stopped directly underneath where Ginger was sitting, which meant that if the Asian girl wanted to jump, she would have to fall right on top of Isabella. Ginger, though, seemed genuinely confused at her troop leader's theatrics.

"Uh, Isabella? What in blazes are you talking about?"

"Ginger, look! I know you're sad that Baljeet chose Adyson over you, but... what you're going to do **ISN'T** the answer!"

Ginger stared at the noose, the tree branch she was sitting on, and at the worried look on Isabella's face, in succession. Putting two and two together, she figured out what her friend thought she was about to do... and she started freaking out.

"**ARE YOU CRAZY? I'M NOT DOING ANY SUCH THING!**"

"But... the rope..."

Ginger pointed at a large tire which was propped up against the tree trunk on the other side. Now it was Isabella's turn to read the other's mind.

"Oh... tire swing! Gotcha."

Ginger rolled her eyes. "Since I know escape is fruitless since you're a much better tree climber than I am... wanna help me finish?"

Isabella smiled in relief. "Sure."

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, the two girls put the finishing touches on the tire swing. To ensure that it was secure, Ginger decided to sit in the tire. It supported her weight easily.<p>

"Thanks," Ginger said in gratitude.

"You're welcome." Isabella grinned in response.

Isabella got behind Ginger and gave the tire a small push, sending it moving like a pendulum. Ginger gripped the insides of the tire tightly so that she would not fall off. Isabella stepped out of the way and allowed Ginger to swing back and forth for a little awhile. The Japanese girl really wanted to enjoy it, but she knew why Isabella had come... and she owed her an explanation.

"You're probably wondering the reason why I've been skipping school the whole week and avoiding you guys."

"Gee, I dunno. Something to do with Baljeet picking Adyson over you?"

"Okay, the reason for the reason why, then."

Isabella nodded. Ginger continued talking.

"You'd think I'd be angry at Adyson for 'stealing my boyfriend,' and for a little while, I was. But then I came to the realization that if I should be angry at anyone, I should be angry at myself. I've loved Baljeet for almost two years now. If I would've just come out and given my heart to him at the start, none of this would have ever happened!"

"Maybe..."

Ginger sighed as she got off the swing and sat down next to the tree. Isabella parked herself beside her.

"Look, Ginger, I know what you're going through. As someone who has a crush on a boy but is too afraid to come out and confess for fear of rejection or of being ignored because he's too dense, let me say that I'm here for you. And to help you better understand the mystery that is... boys!"

"I dunno, Chief," Ginger spoke, hesitantly. "You've never been in a situation where a friend tried to take your boyfriend."

Isabella crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at Ginger.

"Really? Last summer doesn't ring a bell?"

Ginger thought about it for a second. Then it hit her.

"Oh! The whole 'Phineas is Mine' deal. But I dropped out of that, remember?"

"The point is, Ginger, is that we're a lot alike. We've both had our boy crushes tested. And by people we consider our friends!"

"And Adyson."

"Uh, Adyson **IS** one of our friends."

Ginger huffed. Obviously, she was not sure she still felt that way.

"Things happen for a reason," Isabella continued, putting an arm around Ginger. "Even though Baljeet's with Adyson now, you can't give up hope! Maybe they're destined to be together. Maybe they're not. If the latter, then maybe some day down the road, you'll get another chance to win his heart. You just have to believe. And if you two are meant to be together, it will

happen."

"You really think so, Chief?"

"I don't think so. I **KNOW** so!"

The two girls then hugged.

"So, now that that's settled... I can expect you at the Fireside Girls meeting tomorrow morning?"

"You bet!"

"And you'll be nice to Addy?"

"Well, I'll try."

Isabella gave her a stare.

"Okay, Izzy, I will! I'll be nice to her!"

"Alright then." Isabella got up and headed back to the house. "See ya!"

As Isabella went in, Ginger took one last look at the tire swing as she started envisioning having to talk to Adyson at the lodge tomorrow.

_I think I had succeeded in getting through to Ginger. In getting her to move on with her life..._

* * *

><p><em>...or did I?<em>

The next morning...

"Alright, does everyone have their assignments?" Isabella asked from the podium.

"Yes, Chief!" replied Gretchen. "We're all set."

"Then this meeting is adjourned!"

Isabella verified her statement by banging the gavel on the podium. The girls were splitting into three teams today to do various tasks across the city. But before anyone could leave...

"Adyson! Can we talk for a minute?"

Hearing Ginger call her name, Adyson motioned for Gretchen, whom she was partnered with for the day, to wait for her outside. Once the two were the only ones in the lodge, Ginger began talking.

"Look, Adyson, I just want to apologize for the way I've been behaving the past week..."

Adyson raised a hand to interrupt.

"You don't have to apologize, Ginger. I know you're hurt about me dating Baljeet. It's okay. If you want to hit me or something, go ahead."

Adyson closed her eyes, expecting Ginger to take her up on her offer. But after waiting for 15 seconds and getting nothing at all, she reopened them.

"Ginger?"

"Adyson, I'm not going to hit you. In fact, I'm okay with you dating Baljeet."

Adyson was perplexed. "Say again?"

"I said I'm okay with you dating Baljeet. I was too scared to make a move and you weren't. That's how the cookie crumbles."

"But Ginger! I feel so sad about..."

"Nuh-uh! No buts! This is hard enough for me as it is!"

"Um. Alright."

"For years, I always thought my destiny was to be with Baljeet for the rest of my life! But maybe I was wrong. Maybe it's your destiny instead."

Adyson did not know what to say.

"I won't do anything to break you two up. If you and Baljeet are meant to be, then so be it. If not, well, so be it too!"

"Uh... thanks?"

"Just be gentle with him." Ginger gave Adyson a wink. "You know how sensitive he is."

"Oh, is he ever!"

The two laughed. Adyson then waved farewell as she left to catch up with Gretchen. Ginger had a smile on her face.

_See? It just goes to show you that even if you lose the boy you have a crush on to one of your friends, you don't have to resort the physical violence to solve the issue. Just chill, talk it out, and move on. And if you truly are meant to be with your crush, everything will work itself out down the road._

Once she was sure Adyson had walked out the door, Ginger walked over to Isabella's desk in the corner of the room. She picked up a pencil, held it at both ends...

...and then cleanly snapped it in two with her bare hands.

She exhaled deeply after doing so.

"Adyson's your friend..." she thought to herself. "Be happy for her."

She deposited both halves in the trash can, and then ran for the exit to catch up with her partner-for-the-day.

**End Entry**

**Next Week:** Milly's pen pal is coming in for a visit, and she intends to impress him. The problem is, his letters seem to indicate he only goes for a certain type of girl. Is changing her image the way to a boy's heart? Find out the truth in the next all-new episode of the "Fireside Diaries."


	41. More Than Just a Pen Pal

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

(So, those of you who read last week's season premiere when it went up will quickly realize this week's episode was not the one previously announced. Unfortunately, it suffered from production delays from both me and my writing partner, so we had to delay it. We hope to get it out next week, which is why you'll see the same preview at the end as it you did last week. Check my Twitter for updates.)

So we move on to what is officially the first character-narrated episode of the season, and, for the second season in a row, Milly is up first! Milly's always been the 'wild card' of the troop and this season's episode of hers is no different! This was also scheduled to be this season's moral-laden/PSA episode, but it didn't really develop that way. Nothing hard-hitting, especially after last season's with Katie, but I guess Milly might still learn something by the end of this?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #401 ("Jamboree Jambalaya")<br>- Entry #405 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 303)

* * *

><p><em>Entry #432 - Written by Milly<em>

_Being a Fireside Girl is great! I've made a lot of friends, learned about growing up... apprehensively, but I'm getting there... and shared my experiences with those I love, as well as from people like you, whom I've never met in person, that come and read about the adventures of our troop._

_But there's one person in particular I'd like to give a shout-out to right now. My pen pal, Patrick._

_My first interaction with him was while we were in Washington for the Jamboree. Although that meeting only lasted a few minutes, we instantly became fast friends. Since then, we've been communicating often. At first, it was through this blog, but then we switched over to writing each other letters. Lots and lots of letters._

_We talk about things going on in our lives. And boy, do we have a lot._

_But even those heartfelt, handwritten letters are no substitute for in-person, face-to-face chats..._

Milly was in her room, opening the latest letter from Patrick. She started reading it silently. Until...

"No way!" she gasped. "Patrick's coming to Danville for a visit?"

The curly-haired girl started screaming in joy, waving her arms crazily and running around her room as if she were a madman.

_At first, it sounded like the best thing ever! I was finally going to get the chance to spend time with Patrick! I could get to know him better and really find out what he's all about!_

As the excitement of her pen pal visiting faded away, Milly collapsed onto her bed, panting heavily. As she caught her breath, her eyes widened as another realization hit her.

"No way, Patrick's coming to Danville for a visit," she said, repeating herself, but in a more worried tone. "Oh no."

_But what if spending time with him ends up being a bad thing? What if we learn that we don't have as much in common as we thought? What if he's been lying to me in his letters this whole time and he's been hiding his true self by pen and paper? What if I end up being so dull and uninteresting that I bore him, thus turning him off?_

_There's only one way to prevent that from happening!_

Milly ripped the letter in half and threw it into the wicker basket next to her bed. She then dusted her hands clean and walked out of the room.

**-  
>Entry #432 [FSD403] - More Than Just a Pen Pal (06.17.13)<br>-**

Two days later, inside Troop 46231's lodge downtown...

"Uh," Katie pointed out, "you do realize that tearing up the letter does **NOT** prevent him from coming, right?"

"I know that!"

Milly had in hand the two halves of that aforementioned letter, and was in the process of trying to tape them back together, as if it had not been torn in the first place, either.

"I know that **TOO**!"

As she worked on that, a couple of the other girls were in the background, cleaning up the lodge.

"Let's just be clear, Milly... he isn't flying here **JUST** to see you. His sister is a former Fireside Girl who works as a freelance inspector. You know, here to make sure we're doing everything by the book."

"But it's because his sister is, or was, a Fireside Girl that Patrick and I even met to begin with."

Milly recalled the time they met...

* * *

><p>Two months ago, inside Union Station in Washington...<p>

While waiting for Isabella to arrive on her train, Milly and Gretchen were at the bookstore, trying to burn some time... and money.

"**WHOA!**" gasped Milly, upon seeing Gretchen walk up with a stack of paperback books in hand. "You sure you have enough to read for the flight back home?"

Gretchen peeked her head out from behind the books and replied. "Yep."

Milly shook her head. "I still can't believe you can read at an eleventh-grade level."

Gretchen smirked and then headed for the register to pay for her books.

"If you want a book, it's on me, but hurry up! The Chief's train'll be here any minute!"

Milly shook her head as she closed a book she was holding and put it back on the shelf where she had gotten it. She went to join Gretchen in line, even though she was not planning to buy anything, but her mind quickly changed when she spotted a certain book atop one of the stacks on a nearby clearance table.

"Can it really be? Is that 'Annette Drake and the Teapot of Flame?' The fourth book in the seven-book series, and the only one missing from my collection, right here in this bookstore before my very eyes? I've been looking for this for ages! It features Annette's first face-to-face encounter with She-Who-Was-Named-Badly since the first book, 'Annette Drake and the Alchemist's Talisman.'"

She reached out to pick it up off the table, but as her hand grabbed a hold of the spine, she saw that someone else had reached out for it as well, and he or she had touched the other side of the book at the exact same time. Milly turned and saw that the other person happened to be a boy about six inches shorter than her, and perhaps a year or two her junior, though she could not tell for sure without asking.

The boy switched between looking at the book and at Milly, alternating every few seconds. Milly just stood there, unsure of what to do. She wanted the book, but so did he. Would it be right to just take it and hope he did not react in some way that would cause a commotion that would make everyone in the store think lowly of her? Or should she just let him have it and leave empty-handed, hoping karma would reward her with a shorter amount of time passing before she found another copy of the book?

She never had to make that decision because the boy took the initiative by pulling the book off of the stack. Milly loosened her grip on the binding, giving it up without a fight. Once she saw the boy had the book secured in his two hands, she sighed in defeat.

Then, in an odd twist, the boy held out the book to Milly.

"Here you go."

Milly was taken aback. She had willingly let him have the book, yet here he was, offering it to her. Milly smiled as she took a step towards him and then she squatted down in front of him so she could look into his eyes.

"Aw, you're sweet. But it wouldn't be right."

She lightly pushed the top of the book back towards the boy's face. She then stood back up and headed for the exit to meet up with Gretchen.

"Enjoy the book, cutie!"

The boy responded almost instantaneously.

"Thanks, cutie!"

Milly stopped. She spun around and walked back to him.

"Did... you just call me cutie?"

"What else would I call someone like you? You are the cutest girl I've ever seen."

Milly laughed, believing it was a joke that a boy was flirting with her. She had yet to ask this boy what his name was, and yet, she felt her body take the lead as she started warming up to him before even her mind could do the same. Meanwhile, the boy decided to offer the book to her a second time.

"Tell you what, cutie. I'll pay for the book and give it to you as a gift."

"You... you'd do that?"

Milly's face was now a bright shade of red. It appeared that all of her blood was rushing to her cheeks, because she froze, apparently willing to agree to the offer but unable to move her any part of her body to indicate her decision to him.

* * *

><p>"We crossed paths at the Jamboree a few hours later, where he actually gave me the book. And I met his sister."<p>

"I know," Katie said. "You've told that story a couple dozen times now! And I still believe you're making that boy up."

Gretchen popped in, adding her two bits. "I was there, Katie. I can undeniably verify everything Milly said."

Milly breathed a sigh of relief.

"See?"

"Except for the boy in question," added Gretchen, in clarification.

"He **IS** real! Look at this!"

Milly took out a picture she had taken with Patrick. Milly even had the book in hand that he had bought for her. Katie looked at it, and then gave her best friend a sly smirk.

"Oh, now I see why him coming is so important... heh heh."

"What? What?"

Katie put an arm around her friend. "Just because some of the other girls have cute boys they're chasing after doesn't mean you have to as well!"

Milly's face went red. "**WHAT?** That... that's not it all!"

"They all have that same red tinge on their faces too whenever they deny it."

"**KATIE!**"

"It's nothing to be ashamed about," Gretchen cut in once more. "It's a part of growing up!"

"I'm not in love! I'm too young for that!"

Milly ran out the front door, embarrassed. Katie followed her, hoping to calm her friend down. They were supposed to be helping clean, after all. But the second Katie reached the bottom of the steps, two hands grabbed her and pulled her off to the side.

"Milly!" Katie exclaimed, having already figured out who had 'captured' her. "Look, I'm sorry from embarrassing you, but burying me alive won't solve your..."

"I think I like him," hastily sputtered Milly, as she spun her friend around so she could say it to her face.

"Uh..."

"Or maybe I don't! I don't know... Katie, all I know is Isabella once said that the number one thing about crushes is that you have to find out how he feels. Before you get in too deep!"

"And how do we do that?"

"Follow me!"

Milly was ready to lead the way, but first, she had to get something else off her chest.

"You thought I was going to bury you alive?"

"What? You had that look on your face! And I was scared, okay?

* * *

><p>Katie would have another reason to be scared. Milly had sprinted up the stairs of her house, and when Katie arrived at the top, she saw that her friend had kicked her own door open. She hesitated slightly before peeking her head in.<p>

"Milly?"

Katie walked into her best friend's room and started scanning the room for her. She then spotted a fort made out of cardboard boxes in the corner and headed over to it.

"Uh, Milly?"

Milly burst out of the fort, sending several boxes flying in numerous directions. Katie had managed to avoid getting hit by any of them, but only because she had been spooked off her feet in surprise.

"**FOUND IT!**" shouted Milly.

Milly made her way over to her desk with an item, which she plopped down emphatically. Katie appeared next to Milly as she opened a three-inch binder. Inside of it were a couple dozen letters from her pen pal. And they were all laminated.

"Really?" Katie gave Milly an odd look. "He's sent you **THAT** many letters in the two months or so you've known him?"

"Uh huh," nodded Milly, with a smile.

"Pfft. Hello! It's the 21st Century, where everyone has this thing called e-mail. You know, the thing that goes 'whoosh' in your computer?"

"Yeah, but old-fashioned letters are much more meaningful. And worth sitting in front of the mailbox every day waiting for!"

Katie wanted to make a comment on how weird that was, but...

"Yes, Katie, I know I'm weird! You've told me that a hundred times already!"

"As long as you're... okay with it?"

While they had been talking, Milly had been flipping through the laminated pages. Suddenly, she stopped.

"This is the letter about the bubble gum blowing contest he took part in! And I love how he took in stride the fact that he was the first person out!"

She then turned to the next page.

"And this one was when he talked about one of his classmates! She's this girl that sits alone during lunch and always stays away from others during recess."

Then she moved on to a third letter.

"And here's one about how he participated in a 5k walk with his sister to support cancer research!"

Suddenly, a thought popped into Milly's head.

"**I GOT IT!**"

She slammed the binder shut, almost doing so on Katie, who had reached her hand in to turn the next page.

"Sorry, Katie," she quickly apologized, "but I've figured it out! I know what kind of girl Patrick likes!"

"And that is..."

"Patrick's into girls that can chew gum and act distant towards others!"

Katie took a second to think about Milly's conclusion. She then gave a complete, honest response.

"That sounds about right to me!"

"Good! So, how do we go about making me into that type?"

"Leave that to me!" declared Katie, as she held up a magazine. "Oh, and to Pre-Tween Magazine!"

* * *

><p><em>I put all my trust in Katie, hoping she'd be able to make me over into the girl Patrick likes so I could see if he really liked me. I mean really liked liked me.<em>

The next morning...

"Are you sure about this?" queried Milly.

"Trust me!" replied Katie. "If you're supposed to be a gum-chewer and act all distant, then why not go the whole nine yards and look a little rough on the edges?"

The two made their way up the stairs to the lodge. But just as Katie was about to reach for the knob, the door opened on its own. Isabella appeared. At first, she looked irritated, but upon seeing the girls, she was relieved.

"Girls! I was just about to call you! I have an emergency! Adyson's busy with a school service project, and the others are off getting patches! I need one of you to do something for me."

"We can't," Katie spoke up. "Milly's supposed to be meeting someone..."

Isabella pulled a boy outside. Milly's jaw nearly dropped when she saw that the short, brown-haired boy was her pen pal, Patrick.

"So the inspector brought her brother along, for some reason, and I need one of you to keep him company for half an hour."

"**ME! ME!**" Milly jumped up and down, enthusiastically.

Katie grabbed her and whispered something into her.

"That's not distant! That's anything **BUT** distant!"

Realizing her mistake, Milly quickly calmed herself down. She then, for some reason inexplicable to both Isabella and Patrick, she ducked behind Katie and then raised her hand sheepishly, as if she was afraid.

"Milly'll do it," Katie said. "She doesn't want to get in the way of the inspection."

Isabella was confused, but she did not have time to find out specifics.

"Fine. Just... fix your hair! You're in uniform! You know better!"

She was pointing out the frizzies in Milly's unsightly clump of hair. Milly quickly pulled out a pocket comb and started rearranging it into her normal, curly puffed style.

"What?" Milly asked, as Katie gave her a dirty look. "Rules are rules."

"Good," Isabella said, handing the boy over to Milly, and then grabbing Katie. "Katie, I need you inside."

Isabella pulled the blonde inside, closing the door behind her. That left Milly and Patrick alone, on the steps of the lodge.

And they could do nothing but stare at each other, like a pair of deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

* * *

><p><em>Okay, so things didn't start off as expected. But, hey, I was just getting things warmed up...<em>

20 minutes later, the two had actually moved to physically sitting on the steps. But they still were not talking, as Patrick sat on one end and Milly on the other. They also were looking away from each other, much to Milly's chagrin.

"Why isn't this working?" she thought.

Milly seemed stumped. So, she pulled out a stick of gum and put it in her mouth.

"He likes bubbles, so..."

She attempted to blow a bubble. But for some reason, no matter how hard she blew, the gum would not inflate. Believing the problem was volume, Milly unwrapped a second stick of gum and put in her mouth as well.

"Come on, come on!"

She tried again. Still nothing. She put in a third piece, and upon doing so, her chewing became so boisterous and ragged that it got Patrick's attention.

"Milly?"

_Milly? He called me Cutie back when we first met! Maybe... maybe I wasn't chewing enough gum for his satisfaction! There's only one thing to do!_

"Milly, are you ok?"

Seeing Patrick slide over towards her, Milly quickly took out the remaining sticks of gum she had, wrappers and all, and stuffed them into her mouth. She then chewed as hard and fast as she could, and immediately she felt her jaws ache in pain as they were stretched to their limit.

"Sfay afay ffom fe," mumbled Milly.

"Huh?"

"I'f suffosed fo fay fway ffom fou." Milly backed down the stairs and onto the grass, trying to keep a few feet away from Patrick. "Fou ofly fike firls fou arf disfanf!"

_I didn't know what to do! Being distant and chewing gum wasn't working! But before I could figure out a plan B..._

Without warning, Milly felt her breath getting short. All of the gum - and the wrappers - in her mouth had congealed into a ball that was so large that it was almost completely blocking off her air passage. Milly dropped to her knees and pointed at her throat. That clued Patrick in.

"Hold on, Milly!"

He pulled Milly back up to a standing position, then proceeded to perform the Heimlich maneuver on her. After a round of quick thrusts to her abdomen, Milly coughed up the large wad of gum, to her relief. As she caught her breath, Patrick moves his arms from around her body and came around to look at her in the face.

"Milly! Are you alright?"

Milly nodded, consciously deciding not to speak for a few seconds while her breathing returned to normal. Patrick guided her back to the steps, and the two took a seat on the bottommost one.

"What was that all about?"

_Considering he just saved me from choking, I owed him an explanation._

"You thought I'd think you weren't as interesting as you were when we first met. So you tried to impress me by chewing a ton of gum all at once."

_Or maybe he figured it all out on his own._

"How'd you know?"

"My big sis. This boy she dated once did silly things to make her laugh."

"Oh. A-and the Heimlich?"

"My big sis. You pick up a few things when your sis has been a Fireside Girl your entire life."

"I see. Wait, one more question!"

"Yes?"

"How... how come you keep calling me Milly? And not Cutie?"

"Because I was taught that the respectful way to address a girl is to call them by their actual name?"

Milly giggled. "Lemme guess... big sis too?"

"No, my parents. Come on, sis is great... but not that great."

Patrick then got up, tapped Milly on the shoulder, and then ran a few feet away before looking back at her and yelling...

"**TAG! YOU'RE IT!**"

Milly got up and chased after him, playfully giggling as she did.

"I just got my Tag Master Patch, so you'd better watch out!"

She continued to chase Patrick all around the lodge's front yard, swiping an arm at him to try and apply a tag at every opportunity she could get.

_Well, I still don't know if Patrick likes me. Like, like likes me. But at least I know he's still interested in me. And, Patrick, since I know this'll be up by the time you get home tonight, let me just say that I'm glad to have a fun pen pal like you. And sorry I did something silly just to get your attention._

_And ignore the stuff about me thinking I might like like you. Unlike some of the others, I don't think I'm ready to handle having crushes._

_I'm just having too much fun keeping friends._

* * *

><p>Patrick happily waved goodbye as he left with his sister following the conclusion of the lodge inspection. Milly gleefully waved back. She abruptly stopped, though, when she heard Katie snickering behind her.<p>

"Milly and Patrick, sittin' in a tree! K-i-s-s-i-n-g!"

"Katie, knock it off!"

"But Milly, you love him!"

"I do not! We're just friends!"

"Ooh," piped in Isabella, "just friends, huh?"

"Not you too, Chief! Why does everything revolve around relationships in this series?"

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Little fun fact - the flashback scene in this episode was actually part of a much longer scene that originally was supposed to be in the most recent feature, "Jamboree Jambalaya." It ended up being cut for time or irrelevance... at the time, anyway. I had planned Patrick to appear in the series proper, so I had to think of a work-around until I could find a way to make his physical debut work. Thus, the adaptation of him as Milly's pen pal, as referred to by her on a couple of occasions last season.<p>

Also, with more proof that I don't keep as good a record of all the Fireside Diary entry numbers as I should, you'll notice that number for "Jamboree Jambalaya" has been changed once more. It's listed as #411 in its original story, and as #400 in last season's Milly episode - which was already taken by Season 2's finale episode. "Jambalaya" is now #401, in order to properly fit within the establish timeline, and that'll be changed in the aforementioned entries when I get around to editing them.

**Next Week: **In a special crossover fanfic event, Phineas needs help! And the one person who can save him is... Irving? No, Isabella! No, Irving! Two vying for the love and admiration of one, in a race across the Tri-State Area! See who wins in this two-part, one-night crossover with "The Adventures of Irving and Friends," starting with Part 1 here in the "Fireside Diaries!"


	42. Anything for Him

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

This week, I've got a special event for you. Or, rather, we have one planned for you. I've teamed up with my good friend Spongey444 for a special crossover between "Fireside Diaries" and "The Adventures of Irving and Friends!" I'm starting things off, so... let's get right to it!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p>Isabella was in the midst of crossing the street, heading from her house to Phineas and Ferb's. As usual, her mind was wandering as she thought about spending another day with the boy of her dreams.<p>

_Entry #393 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_You know by now about my crush on a certain triangle-headed boy. Not like it's a secret or anything. It's not supposed to be, yet he still doesn't know... look, I'm still trying to figure out how to cross that bridge._

_Today was just a typical day. I woke up, went through my morning routine, checked my schedule to see if there was anything Fireside-related that had to be done, and then I made my delightfully blissful 30-second walk from the front door of my house to Phineas and Ferb's backyard._

_When the boy of your dreams has an open invitation to his house, you ignore the mundanity of it all and just go with the flow. Not like anything the boys do is ever the same._

Isabella made it to the opposite sidewalk and proceeded to make her way to the driveway. But on the way there...

_The problem with open invitations? Once in a while, there's..._

_...uninvited guests._

...she met Irving, who was having hello.

"Hi, Isabella!"

"Oh. Hi, Irving."

Isabella shrugged her shoulders, not caring about him being there, and then she headed up the driveway. Irving followed... well, at first. He picked up his pace so that he was walking alongside her.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked, in a more rushed and bothered tone than usual.

"I've always wanted to get into the backyard first, instead of showing up out of nowhere afterwards."

He walked a bit faster, putting him slightly ahead. Isabella responded, uncharacteristically selfishly, by matching him. The two made the turn into the backyard and past the open gate door, side by side.

_Usually, I'm all for sharing things, but when it comes to being the first to greet Phineas in the morning... that position's already been filled, Irving._

_So step off!_

Irving did indeed step off, but not in the way Isabella intended. He accidentally tripped over his own two feet and fell to the ground. Isabella was ready to keep on going, but her assistive instincts took control of her, making her stop to help Irving out. But then she had her own moment of clumsiness, as she stumbled and fell to the grass, right next to him.

_That's so not what I meant._

"Whoa," gawked Phineas, now standing over the two of them. "I know a couple people who didn't have their OJ today!"

Isabella and Irving both laughed nervously.

**-  
>Entry #393 [FSD402] - Anything for Him (06.24.13)<br>-**

A few minutes later, Isabella and Irving were each drinking from a glass with orange juice in it. As they finished, Phineas greeted Buford and Baljeet, whom had just arrived.

"Two someones woke up clumsy today," Buford commented, with a smirk.

"I still do not understand the correlation between orange juice and clumsiness!" remarked Baljeet.

"I'll explain it later," Phineas told him, "but I'm sure you'll all wondering what this is behind me."

He gestured to something that was covered by a white sheet, which Ferb had a firm grip on and was ready to pull at when given the signal. Which was actually now, as Phineas snapped his fingers.

"Ta da!" the orange-haired boy exclaimed as the machine was revealed.

An assortment of oohs and aahs came from the group of friends, of whom Isabella was the most vocal.

_Phineas always build the best things! Like this..._

"Pet Locator!"

_Yeah! A pet locator!_

Phineas began explaining how and why they built it. Buford called the brothers out for repeating a past idea. And Phineas explained why that was not the case.

Not that Isabella could hear... she was in the midst of one of her daydreams.

"Eeeeee!"

Well, she was. Until Irving's squealing interrupted it.

"Uh, Irving? Could ya keep down it, please?"

"Sorry! I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it!"

"Well, could you at least try?"

Isabella did not wait for a response, as she instead turned her attention back to Phineas.

"Now, it just needs a few more tweaks and it'll be all ready to go! But to ensure it operates to our calculated parameters, we need a certain part. A very rare 20-inch A29 sprocket, with free-range motion and an octagonal center. Normally we'd have something special like that delivered right to our backyard, but all the delivery drivers in the Tri-State Area are on strike. Far be it from to get in the way of hard-working joes fighting for fair compensation, but we absolutely need that part today. And we can't go down there because..."

Before Phineas could finish his sentence, numerous pieces of the machine fell off all at once. Ferb ducked for cover to avoid getting hit by any flying debris.

"...for some reason the Pet Locator software is rejecting the mechanical parts inside of it, and is spitting them out every so often. Either it doesn't believe in self-preservation, or it has a virus. Nevertheless, we need a volunteer..."

"**ME!**" Isabella's hand shot up quickly. "I'll do it!"

"**ME!**" Irving's hand had gone up at the same exact time. "Please, please!"

"Sure!" Phineas agreed. "You two can go together!"

The two looked at each other. They thought about it, and replied, in tandem...

"Alright!"

"Good." He handed Isabella a piece of paper. "Here's the address. Good luck!"

With that, Phineas went to help Ferb pick up the pieces and put them back into their invention-of-the-day. Buford and Baljeet stepped in to help, while Isabella and Irving headed back to the driveway.

"This is my chance to finally impress Phineas!" the two said in unison, although they had different reasons for wanting to do so.

"There's only one part to get, Irving," Isabella told him.

"I know that," he replied back. "What are you proposing, Isabella?"

"A race! First one there wins and gets to hand it to him."

"Deal! When do we start?"

"**NOW!**"

Without warning, Isabella took off down the driveway.

"Good luck getting there without the address!" she shouted back.

Irving smirked. "That's what she thinks! I've got a photographic memory! Downloaded it just by looking at it for three seconds! This is in the bag!"

Irving started heading up the street, while Isabella had made it across and back to her house. She went to her garage, pulled out her bike, and rode off for downtown, passing by her mom, who was pulling weeds out from the grass.

"Be back in an hour, mom!" Isabella said, as she turned and pedaled away.

"Remember, Isa!" Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro shouted after her. "Pinky needs his walk when you get back."

She started looking around the yard for chihuahua.

"Dónde está Pinky?"

* * *

><p>Agent Pinky was already in flight, via jetpack, to downtown Danville. He looked down at his wrist communicator, where Admiral Acronym was in the midst of giving him a mission briefing.<p>

"Dire news, Agent Pinky!" she told him. "Professor Poofenplotz has a food truck!"

"Arf?" queried Pinky, wondering what was so bad about that.

"She's refusing to use local, organically-grown vegetables, is planning to charge an arm and a leg, and the health department refused to offer her a permit. I suppose the first two are unimportant if the third item is to be believed, but the fact that she has parked herself amongst the other food trucks in the area around City Hall is cause for concern! You must stop her before she gives all the government employees of the Tri-State Area bad tummyaches. Or something rather of that nature."

"**ARF!**" Pinky barked in confirmation, before signing off.

* * *

><p>Isabella gleefully pedaled along the road. She looked behind her, and, just as she expected, Irving was nowhere to be seen.<p>

"This is going to be a piece of cake! Ooh! That reminds me... I'll buy a piece of cake on the way home, and share it with Phineas!"

She began to imagine doing just that...

* * *

><p>Isabella handed Phineas a small ribbon-wrapped box and a piece of chocolate cake on a plate.<p>

"Here's your sprocket and a piece of cake!"

"Oh, Isabella! You've gone far and beyond my wildest hopes and dreams!"

He threw both objects over his shoulders...

"Forget the sprocket and cake! Let's fly away together, Isabella! Into space!"

...then took her hand and pulled her into a rocket. Once they were inside, the door closed and the spaceship immediately blasted off, heading high up into the sky and away from the Earth.

"Ohhh, Phineas!"

And then there was an explosion.

**POP!**

* * *

><p>Isabella snapped out of her daydream and realized that her smooth bike ride had suddenly gotten very rough. A quick look down to her front tire revealed why. It had been punctured by a tack she had run over. She came to a stop, then got off to see if it could be fixed.<p>

"Oh, why do my Phineas dreams always get me into trouble?"

As she inspected the hole, one of the Tri-State Area's many buses passed by. And someone decided to call out to her from one of the passenger windows.

"Public transportation FTW!" shouted Irving, happy at Isabella's misfortune.

"Really? The bus? Hmmm... why didn't I think of that?"

"**ISABELLA!**"

She turned to see who was calling out to her. It was Katie. She was on her bike, and she had about a dozen rolled-up newspapers in her basket.

"Katie, I'm in a jam! Help a fellow Fireside out?"

Katie braked to a stop right in front of Isabella.

"Anything, Chief!"

A minute later, the two girls had swapped spots. Katie was now looking at Isabella's punctured tire, while Isabella was riding away on Katie's bike.

"Don't worry, Katie!" Isabella shouted. "I'll finish your route on the way!"

* * *

><p>Irving leaned back in his seat and put his feet up, pressing the soles of shoes against the one in front of him.<p>

"I can't believe how easy this was!" he told himself. "Pfft. Isabella, you so disappoint, girl."

The bus halted at its next scheduled stop. Irving thought nothing odd of it, until he heard the driver start shouting at him.

"Hey, kid! End of the line!"

"**WHAT?**"

Irving got up and ran to the front to talk to the driver, revealing that no one else was on board except for the two of them.

"This can't be! Why'd you even let me on three stops ago if you weren't completing your route all the way downtown?"

"'Cause I pitied you?"

"Well then... do you pity me enough to at least get me to the industrial district?"

* * *

><p>30 seconds later, the bus pulled away from the stop, which was in front of one of Danville's many Super Food Stuff Mart locations. And Irving was not on it.<p>

"Huh. I guess that's a no."

He scanned the area for two things. First, Isabella, and second, a new mode of transportation to resume his journey.

"Isabella's nowhere to be seen. Perhaps I'm still ahead. But I still have to get a move on!"

He was ready to give up on finding help on his own when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone skateboarding off to the far side of the parking lot, where very few cars were parked.

"Maybe he can help!"

Irving ran over, hoping the boarder was someone he knew. Luckily, it was.

"Django! Django!"

He waved his arms, trying to get his friend's attention. After a few attempts, Django made his way over.

"Hey, Irving."

"Django, I need to borrow your skateboard!"

"Oh. You grind, man?"

"Only my teeth when I sleep. That's why I wear a mouthguard in bed."

Django chuckled. "Cool."

"So, I can have it?"

Django looked at his board with endearment. "Dunno. This is my baby. Trade something for it?"

Irving wanted it, but knew he did not have time for a lengthy negotiation. He decided to come out with his best and final offer out front.

"I'll get you a date with that girl who likes you!"

Django was not quite sure how to respond to that. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a clipping of a state-of-the-art paintbrush that was on sale at a local art store.

"Just get me this and we got a deal."

"**100 BUCKS?** That's one high-end paintbrush. But, alright, **DEAL!**"

Django handed Irving the board, the clipping, and a helmet, and soon after, the fanboy was off, riding his way towards the industrial district.

"I knew Irving was cool."

Django then came to one realization...

"Wait, how do I get home?"

...followed quickly by another.

"Wait, a girl likes me?"

* * *

><p>Isabella tossed the last of Katie's papers, landing it perfectly on the customer's doorstep. She then made a hard left, which took her down a large hill. Once she reached the bottom, she had officially entered the industrial district. Here, traffic started to get a little heavier, as well as slower. Isabella started keeping a closer eye out for pedestrians, parked cars, and other things that might impede her path.<p>

"Isabella! Guess who?"

What she did not expect was to see Irving come up next to her, on a skateboard.

"Since when..."

"Since five minutes ago!"

Off in the distance, they could hear a warning bell for a railroad track go off. Up ahead of them, traffic was stopped at a railroad crossing, where the gates were already down. Isabella squeezed hard on the brake handle, bringing her, or rather, Katie's bicycle to a screeching halt. Irving, though, kept going.

"**HOW DO YOU STOP THIS THING?**"

He hopped on the sidewalk, but that did nothing to slow him down. A couple people jumped out of his way as Irving barreled towards the tracks.

"I can't look!" he exclaimed, covering his eyes.

Isabella could only watch as it appeared that there was no way to save Irving. Then, at the very last second, he came across a plank that had been placed on a drum barrel that was on its side. Irving, still on the board, went up the ramp and off the other end. He flew high in the sky, clearing the top of the engine car by mere inches, and landed safely on the other side.

All with his eyes covered.

"Shouldn't I have gone 'splat' by now?" he asked himself aloud.

He took his hands off of his eyes and, to his surprise, he was not only still on the skateboard, but he was still moving. He then took a look back at the crossing and saw the train going through it.

"I'm alive? **I'M ALIVE! WOO HOO!**"

As Irving celebrated his good fortune by holding his arms up in the air, back on the other side of the tracks, Isabella was loathing it.

"Hmph. Lucky."

* * *

><p>Agent Pinky arrived at the designated location for food trucks to park near the government office buildings, about a block away from City Hall. Ditching the jetpack, it did not take him long to find Poofenplotz's food truck.<p>

It was named 'Exotic Delicacy,' which was a pretty bland and undescriptive name, given the neighboring competition included 'Falafel This,' 'Twin Peak-ing Duck,' and 'Yes, Soup for You.' The side window was up, meaning that she was open for business. But it appeared that, at least among the early lunch crowd, no one was willing to take a chance on the new truck in town.

Pinky entered through the rear doors and instantly found himself stuck in an open canister of cold guacamole.

"Arf!"

"Ah, Pinky the Chihuahua!" greeted Poofenplotz, with an evil smile on her face. "I see you got stuck in the guac! **OOH!** I made a funny."

Pinky tried to shake his way out of the can, but the dip was not cooperating with him.

"Knock it off, or I'll consider adding chihuahua patties to the menu."

He ceased his escape attempt... for now.

"Good! Now that you can't go anywhere, let me tell you my scheme! Although it's not so much a scheme as it is a dream of mine. Ahem..."

* * *

><p>Flashback to two weeks ago...<p>

"I was watching the Cooking Network. I dabble in fine cuisine at home and I wanted to see what the so-called experts do to captivate their audiences. I came across this show which pitted food trucks against each other. The pressure of cooking in such a small environment! The competitive spirit of watching people give a rival a bad review because you sabotaged them! The joy of rolling in dough and then giving 60 percent of it back to supplies and the tax man!"

Poofenplotz had stars in her eyes, and a dream was born.

* * *

><p>"I knew from that moment... I wanted to run a food truck! But just not any run-of-the-mill food truck. A food truck that sells rare delicacies at a reasonable price. And before you say anything, $8.50 is reasonable for... <strong>THIS!<strong>"

Poofenplotz held up her food truck's signature dish. A leafy green salad!

Pinky was not impressed.

"Ah, I see that look on your face. You don't see what's so special about this? Well, take a closer look!"

She held the circular container closer, hoping to get Pinky to recognize the special ingredient.

"Give up? The meat! It's genuine grade-A prairie dog!"

Pinky stuck out his tongue in repulsion.

"What? I've been assured from my supplier that they are fresh and are not victims of automobile homicide. Unfortunately, that's not good enough for the health inspector. Something about catching the plague or some silly disease. He may have denied my request for a food truck permit, but that will not stop me from serving **THE TASTIEST DISH IN THE TRI-STATE AREA!**"

"Grrr... **ARF ARF!**"

Poofenplotz picked up the can and threw it in the freezer.

"Quiet, you! You'll scare the customers away."

With Agent Pinky secured, Poofenplotz was ready to realize her dream, as she rubbed her hands together in a maniacal fashion.

"Now... to advertise with some free samples!"

* * *

><p>Having finally figured out how to stop himself, Irving did so right next to an escalator heading down into an underground subway station. Once inside, he stashed Django's skateboard in a locker and then immediately headed for the boarding area. His timing was right on the mark, as the train he needed had just arrived at the station.<p>

"Green line, inbound, arriving on track two! Unless unboarding or boarding, please stay clear of the doors."

Irving quickly bought a ticket from an automated machine and then made a beeline for the train. He got on with time to spare. But he was still very anxious.

Where was Isabella?

* * *

><p>Isabella hopped off of Katie's bike before it was fully stopped and she sprinted down the steps into the subway station.<p>

"Please let the train be late!" she mumbled to herself. "Please let the train be late!"

She got her ticket and made it down to the platform. Unfortunately, the train had already pulled away from the station and was almost completely in the tunnel.

"No. No... please don't tell me..."

Suddenly, on the same track, another train pulled in, with its headlight on, big and bright.

"There's not supposed to be another one for ten... **OMG!** Is that... is that..."

* * *

><p>The computer suddenly shut off, and so did everything else inside the Fireside Girls' lodge.<p>

"Is that a power outage? But... I was in the middle of..."

"Don't worry, I've got it!"

Irving appeared right next to Isabella, with his turned-on laptop in hand.

"**EEEEEEEEKKKKKK!**" she screamed, in surprise.

_This may be the end of this Fireside Girls entry, but this is __**NOT**__ the end of the story! To find out what happens next as well as to see how this story ends, stay tuned! Irving's taking over on his own little blog, so make sure to check it out!_

_See ya there!_

**End Entry  
>(This tale to be concluded in Spongey444's<br>**"**The Adventures of Irving and Friends," Episode 20.)**

**Author's Notes:**  
>If you want to see who wins this race between Isabella and Irving, then make sure you flip over to the latest episode of "The Adventures of Irving and Friends" to see the thrilling conclusion later this week! I promise you... there's a great ending in store for you!<p>

**Next Week: **Gretchen is competing in a kids' game show. She knew it'd put her brains and her limited physical ability to the test, but she didn't expect her friendship to as well! Because you demanded it... Gretchen! And Ferb! Together in the next all-new episode of the "Fireside Diaries."


	43. Friend or No Friend

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

The fourth-produced episode of each season so far has starred Ginger. But at some point last season, I realized that such a trend should probably stop. In Japan, the number four is considered bad luck... which explains why each of Ginger's episodes thus far has not turned out favorable.

So for the fourth episode of the fourth season, I've decided to give you... a Gretchen episode instead! Even better, it's a Ferb-Gretchen episode! Yes, I finally gave in to all you readers who have been crying for me to do one. But it comes with a compromise... this is a Ferb-Gretchen friendship episode. Friendship.

Friendship.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #444 - Written by Gretchen<em>

_So today, I got to achieve one of my lifelong dreams! To be on a game show!_

Gretchen and Isabella walked into the building of one of Danville's local television studios. The former had a smile on her face as she held a completed application packet in her hands.

_What? I'm only 11._

"I can't believe it!" exclaimed Isabella. "You're going to get to be on an actual game show!"

"And it only took getting through tryouts, first callback, interview, second callback, aptitude testing, second interview, and a **THIRD** callback! All I have to do now is pass the qualifying round and I'll have finally made it onto the stage!"

As they walked into the lobby, where a dozen other kids were waiting already, the two of them spotted what looked to be the casting director, who was making small talk with one of his assistants. Suddenly, he turned and saw Gretchen... and he freaked out.

"**WAIT!**"

He ran over to her in jubilation.

"Who are you?"

Nervous, Gretchen stumbled to respond. "Gr-gr-gr-gr-"

He snatched her application packet from her hands and looked it over... for all of two seconds.

"I've seen enough. You're on the show!"

Gretchen gasped in shock. "Really?"

_Really!_

* * *

><p>That afternoon...<p>

_I didn't think anything of getting a free pass right onto the show. Knowing me, winning it all wasn't going to be as easy._

The contestants chosen for the show started gathering on their marks underneath the stage. Gretchen was shaking in fright, nervous about how she would perform in front of a live studio audience.

"I can do this," she thought. "I can do this. I can do this!"

She calmed herself enough to turn her head and examine the competition. To her relief, the others all appeared to be in various states of anxiety and distress, just like her.

"I suppose that's a good sign. Everyone else is just as nervous as I am."

But while the competitors were experiencing bouts of stage fright, the show crew was in a full state of panic.

"We go live in 30 seconds!" someone shouted. "**WHERE IS HE?**"

Gretchen quickly figured out what was going on. There were supposed to be six kids on the show, but including herself, only five were standing on the platform that was going to rise up on the stage.

"**FOUND HIM! FOUND HIM!**"

Three people came running in, carrying or pulling someone towards the platform. Gretchen was unable to see who the sixth kid was until they had put him down on his mark and then moved away.

_As if pulling out a victory on this show wasn't going to be hard enough..._

_...he showed up._

Now standing on the sixth and final mark was a boy Gretchen knew would be her toughest competition...

Ferb.

**-  
>Entry #444 [FSD404] - Friend or No Friend (07.01.13)<br>-**

"Hurry, girls! Empty seats spotted ahead!"

She pointed to a couple empty spots in the fifth row or so. She, Milly, Katie, and Ginger ran down there, and they were not surprised to see a familiar face there.

"Hey, Phineas!" Isabella cooed, immediately plopping down in the open seat to his left. "Whatcha doin'?"

While they had a little chat, and they both gave the common reason of why they were there, the lights in the studio dimmed, and she was ushered away to nearest open seat, much to her chagrin. The show's theme song began playing, and the curtain rose up, revealing the stage and the six podiums where the contestants would stand.

"It's the game show where anything goes... in the name of kids having fun! This... is... **TRIPLE TROUBLE!**"

The audience, which had an overwhelming majority of kids in it, cheered and screamed at the sound of the show's name.

"I'm Stan Iam, your always faithful announcer! Now, let's meet the host of Triple Trouble, the one, the **ONLY... ERIK WINTERS!**"

Erik Winters came out in stage, dressed in a snazzy suit, as always. He took his place behind the host podium, to the delight of the crowd. After a few seconds, the music died down and the audience was instructed to be silent so that Mr. Winters could get on with the show.

"I'm the host with the most, Erik Winters, and welcome to another exciting edition of..."

"**TRIPLE TROUBLE!**" shouted the audience, on cue.

"That's right, boys and girls..."

* * *

><p>"...this is the show that'll do anything..."<p>

Below the stage, all of the competitors were listening to the host do his opening spiel. Gretchen, though, was only focused on one thing.

Or, rather, one person.

_What's Ferb doing here? I didn't know he had tried out for Triple Trouble too! Oh my..._

Feeling that someone was staring at him, Ferb turned his head to see who it was. But upon seeing it was Gretchen, he waved a stoic hello to her.

_Ferb's really good. Can... can I beat him in a game show where all of our talents will be put to the test?_

Suddenly, the platform the six were on shook briefly, and then it began to rise upwards. Six square holes appeared in the ceiling; positioned as such to match up with the marks each of the competitors were standing on. A fog machine activated on cue, obscuring the competitors' view of the audience, and vice versa, temporarily.

The platform locked into place once all of the contestants had completely passed through the holes and they were in position behind their respective podiums. The fog machine was shut off, the air started to clear, and the audience cheered upon seeing today's contestants.

"Hi there, kids!" greeted Mr. Winters. "Ready to play?"

"**YEAH!**" shouted them all... except for Gretchen and Ferb.

"You all know the rules. Last kid standing wins $1,000 in cash and prizes! Or... do they?"

The audience gasped.

"This week, we're going to make children's game show history with the biggest... grand... prize... **EVER!**"

Everyone turned to the big monitor behind the competitors, where $1,000 appeared on the screen. But the audience went wild when one zero was added, and then a second, making the grand prize...

"**$100,000!**"

The audience erupted with glee.

_$100,000? Think of what I could do with that much money..._

_I could give back to the community..._

_I could share it with my friends..._

_I could use it to pay for my first three years of college!_

_Or... I could do all three!_

"**GRETCHEN!**"

Gretchen snapped out of her daydream and glanced towards the audience. Isabella pointed at a sign Milly and Katie had made in under five minutes. On it were the words 'Go Gretchen!' She smiled upon seeing it.

"You guys..."

"Enough stalling," Mr. Winters said. "Time to begin Round One: Visual Puzzles! In this round, you'll see some pictures on the screen on your podium, contestants. After each picture, I'll ask you a question about it. Get it right, you get points; get it wrong, you get nothing. At the end of the round, the two of you with the lowest score **WILL** be eliminated."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"The first question is worth 10 points... and here it is!"

A video played on the screen for all to see. There were four cups, all turned upside down, and a ball in the middle of the screen. A prompt flashed with the words 'Keep an eye on ball!' The ball was then placed under the second cup from the right, and then the cups were slowly switched around, two at a time.

After ten seconds, the switching of cups stopped, and the numbers 1 to 4 appeared on the cups, in order from left to right.

"Which cup is the ball under?"

A five-second timer and the four choices, '1,' '2', '3,' and '4' appeared on each of the competitor's screens. The clock started counting down immediately.

_Easy._

"And the correct answer is..."

Gretchen's face went pale. The five seconds had gone by so fast she had not submitted an answer in time. Meanwhile, the rest of the video played out, showing that the ball was under cup number...

"One! Let's see who got it right!"

All six competitors' faces appeared on the big screen, along with their answers... well, those who got theirs in on time.

"Everybody got it right except for Gretchen, who didn't lock hers in on time! 10 points to everyone else!"

Gretchen could have felt sad for missing out, but she did not have time to.

"Okay, here's question number 2, worth 20 points! Roll it!"

For question two, they all got a prompt telling them to 'Count the Apples!' On screen were three kids walking exactly similar paths lined with trees. At each tree, the kids would stop and shake it. A certain amount of apples would fall out of each tree, between zero and three, with no kid getting the same amount as the others in each round.

Once they all reached the end of the path...

"Which kid got the least number of apples?"

Gretchen panicked.

"Huh?" she thought. "I was only paying attention to the total number of apples!"

She had no choice but to guess. She locked in her answer, as did the others.

"Let's see what the correct answer is, shall we?"

The rest of the video played out. The correct answer was the kid who got scolded for his or her work, or lack thereof... which was Brandy, or, kid number two.

"It's two! Two is the right answer! Let's see who got it..."

Ferb and two other kids had answered correctly, while Gretchen and the two other other kids had inputted wrong answers.

"Gretchen! It looks like you're off to a slow start! Not giving up already, are we?"

_I wasn't, but if I wanted to get out of the first round, I had to start getting serious._

"No, sir!"

"Then... let's punch it up a notch!"

* * *

><p>Three tough questions later...<p>

"This is the last photo question," the host told the competitors. "Remember, after this, the two of you with the lowest scores will say goodbye!"

Everyone looked down at their video screens, which flashed the prompt 'Watch for Cats!' Gretchen paid close attention, as did the others, as a bunch of cats ran on and off the screen, from left to right, all passing through at various speeds.

"How many black cats appeared on the screen?"

"**WHAT?**" all six contestants shouted, in surprise.

Four choices appeared on each of their touchscreens: '8,' '10,' '11,' and '12.' And, once more, a visible five-second timer would force them to make a hasty decision.

"Uh... uh..."

Gretchen gulped as she locked in her answer. The timer reached zero, and if she had not picked the right choice, she was a goner.

"Time's up! And the correct answer **IS...**"

The video, which had been paused, started playing again. The black cats ran back in from the left, and a counter, starting from zero, went up with the appearance of each new feline.

"Come on..." thought Gretchen, as she crossed her fingers.

The counter had made it to 6, and continued to 7, 8, 9, 10, and...

...then it stopped.

"**TEN!** Ten is the correct answer. Let's see who got it right!"

The competitor's answers were revealed, and four people had gotten it right, including... Gretchen!

"That final question was worth 100 points, which means... Ryan and Grady, you two are going home!"

Ryan burst out in tears, while Grady had his head lowered in shame. The two kids were escorted off stage, leaving only four competitors.

"I... I made it out?" Gretchen asked herself. "I made it out of the first round! Yay me!"

She giggled with glee at her success. But one look at the remaining competition, including Ferb, told her that this game had only just begun.

* * *

><p>In round two, the four surviving contestants had to complete an obstacle course while riding on a tricycle. Gretchen made her way around, pedaling up a seven-degree incline and down the other side, into and through a shallow four-inch water pit, past a half-dozen suspended lightweight punching bags, and to the finish line. She looked up at the scoreboard and saw that it had taken her 34.8 seconds to complete the course. She seemed pleased with her effort, as she raised her arms triumphantly afterward, but she had to wait to see how her effort stacked up against the others.<p>

The two remaining boys - a tall one of Chinese descent and Ferb - easily bested Gretchen's time, as they both came in just under 30 seconds. With the worst time being eliminated this round, it was assured that a girl was going home, as a blonde pedaled up to the starting line. Gretchen watched nervously as her competitor took off... and then promptly stumbled at the first obstacle, falling of the trike while coming down the incline. The girl ended up recovering and pedaling hard to make up for last time.

But her fate was sealed when she came in with a time of 34.9 seconds.

The girl, Olive, had a banana crème pie shoved in her face before being escorted off the stage. Meanwhile, Isabella and the troop applauded Gretchen for moving on once more, while the boys celebrated Ferb's advancement as well.

* * *

><p>Round three was the trivia round, and the first two to get three questions correct would move on. Ferb, with his usual quiet intensity, got there first. That left it up to Gretchen and Li to fight for the other spot. They alternated correct answers back-and-forth until they came to the one that would decide it all.<p>

On that final question, Li rang his buzzer first. Gretchen thought it was all over for her... until Li gave the incorrect answer. The host gave Gretchen a chance to steal the win, and she did not disappoint. Answering correctly, Gretchen moved onto the semifinals with Ferb.

Li was then promptly pied in the face, like Olive did before him. But before he could be escorted off, he ran up to a ladder on the side of a raised pool, climbed it, and once at the top, he jumped in the water. Mr. Winters, Ferb, and Gretchen all shrugged at this, as the boy had apparently punished himself additionally of his own free will.

* * *

><p>In the semifinals...<p>

"This has been going on for a whole 60 seconds now, which is 55 more than we're used to, and who knows how it'll end!" the host exclaimed.

In the aforementioned pool, Gretchen and Ferb were in their swimsuits and standing on a log, trying to gain control of it and spin it in a way to knock the other off.

Suddenly, Gretchen started panting loudly, signifying that she was about to reach her limit. Ferb looked ready to end it, but then he saw the pained look on Gretchen's face.

_I thought my dream was over. And then, Ferb did the unthinkable._

Ferb slowed down just enough to give Gretchen control of the log's movement, and then let momentum and gravity do the rest. He fell into the water. Gretchen, meanwhile, was caught off-guard by her sudden victory that she slipped off the log and went in as well.

"Huh?" the host looked up, hearing the splashes. "What's going on, uh, I mean... we have a winner?"

All eyes turned to the event official, who ruled in favor of Gretchen.

"**GRETCHEN!** Gretchen has bested the favorite, Ferb, and will advance to the final round! What a turn of events!"

Both Ferb and Gretchen popped up above the water's surface, and were greeted to the audience chanting Gretchen's name in victory.

_I couldn't believe it! Against all odds, I had won! I had won! It all felt like it was too good to be true._

* * *

><p><em>It was.<em>

"Why, Ferb? Why'd you do it?"

The two had been backstage drying off when Gretchen had accused Ferb of throwing the event.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"But I didn't deserve to win..."

About 20 feet behind them, the host had overheard their conversation and was now snooping behind a metal box to hear the rest.

"...just because we're friends doesn't mean it's okay for you to throw the game for me."

Mr. Winter's face went red with anger. Those last five words really upset him. He thought about confronting them and declaring the result null and void... but he had a better idea.

* * *

><p>The taping came off of its final break, as it was time for the final challenge to be filmed.<p>

_Despite what had happened, I went with it because Ferb was with it, even though my gut said I should've confessed that Ferb threw the challenge on purpose._

_I should've gone with my gut._

"Okay, Gretchen," the game show host said, putting an arm around her. "All you have to do is win the final challenge, and you win the grand prize... and the title of 'Triple Trouble Champion!' You ready to see what you have to do?"

Gretchen nodded. "Yes."

Suddenly, the other eliminated contestants walked in, on the far side of the stage. Gretchen was worried at first, but when she saw them all just simply sit down on chairs that had been set out for them, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Until she realized one of them was missing.

"Let's show her, boys!"

The curtain was pulled back and Gretchen gasped when she saw what was behind it. There were two pedestals, positioned over a large tank with piranha in it. One had a five-foot tall golden trophy and a large $100,000 check with her name on it. The other... had Ferb, who was gagged and bounded to a chair.

"**FERB!**"

The audience gasped in shock. Seeing Ferb's predicament, Milly and Katie followed their instincts as they got out of their seats and ran for the stage. Isabella followed them without a second thought.

"You can only save one!" Mr. Winters told her, with a smirk. "Will it be that lame loser you beat to get here... **OR THAT TRIPLE TROUBLE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY AND PRIZE MONEY?**"

Gretchen gulped as two buttons rose in front of her, and the studio audience almost unanimously shouted for her to take the money. At least that appeared to be a first, until Gretchen could hear a looping sound around, which meant that most of what she was hearing was from a prerecorded tape, being played at a louder volume than that of the studio audience. They were certainly booing this sick and dangerous turn of events.

"Gretchen!"

Isabella shouted at her as she squeezed past stage security, who had been preoccupied with stopping Milly and Katie.

"Well, what's it gonna be?" the host asked once more, in a more demanding tone. "The guy who shamelessly took a dive, robbing you of a true Triple Trouble victory? Or the money he so nicely gifted for you?"

"Gretchen!" Isabella shouted a second time, much louder.

Gretchen stared at each of the buttons, then up at Ferb, over at Isabella - who was now on the side of the stage, and finally, at the host.

"What are you doing? **CHOOSE!**"

"**GRETCHEN!**" Isabella yelled.

Gretchen took a couple deep breaths, and then made her decision.

* * *

><p>The sun was already setting by the time Gretchen walked out of the building with her friends. They all offered pats on the back and high-fives in congratulations for winning the game. She was pleased with all the praise.<p>

But none more than that from Ferb, who was the last one of the group to come out.

"You don't have to say anything," Gretchen said to him.

He did not.

"Of course I chose you over the money! Not even an enormous amount of cash like that is worth your life. Or your friendship."

"Ferb!"

"Gretchen!"

The two looked ahead at Phineas and Isabella, who were calling them.

"We're all going out for some ice cream!"

"You two coming?"

Ferb and Gretchen looked at each other. She grinned at him. He blinked back.

"Coming!" shouted Gretchen.

The two sprinted over to the others so that they could all walk together.

_I didn't care about the money to begin with. My dream was just to get on a game show. Winning it was just a bonus. Although saving a good friend wasn't so much a bonus as much as it was a duty. After all, you can win all the money in the world..._

_...but it won't buy you friends._

_It's too bad you won't get to see my episode on TV. The head of the station, after hearing what happened, canned the show __**AND**__ fired the host, as well as the entire crew. But don't worry. Despite what he did, his ending isn't as unhappy as you think. He got hired by a major cable network, in his dream position..._

_Executive producer for a Foodie Network show._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Before you ask... this is not based off of any story that's anywhere near true. In case anyone thinks I'm slandering somebody noteworthy.<p>

Also, hope you enjoyed this, shippers, 'cause this entry is as close as I'll get to writing Ferb-Gretchen in this series. Serious.

**Next Week: **There's one Fireside Girl patch that's so impossible to get that not even Isabella herself has even considered attempting it! So why is Katie suddenly declaring it as the next patch she's after? See if she comes anywhere close to succeeding on the next episode of "Fireside Diaries."


	44. Patch 2432

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Our string of character-focused entries continues this week with Katie, who is going where no Fireside Girl has succeeded before! Meanwhile, the B-story follows up on the season premiere episode... and you know what that means!

Sit back and enjoy, folks!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisite (i.e. read that first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #426 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 401)<p>

* * *

><p>On a chilly fall day, the members of Fireside Girls Troop 46231 were sitting in the cafeteria for lunch. Usually, they would be eating more than they were talking with each other. Today, though, it was the other way around.<p>

"I'm thinking about going for a Pony Express Patch," Gretchen stated aloud.

"Is getting a Virtual Millionaire Patch tough?" asked Ginger.

"No way am I doing anything involving stuffing animals," muttered Milly.

_Entry #470 - Written by Katie_

_The weather's getting colder and colder, which means everyone in our troop is in a mad scramble to earn any last outdoor activity patches before they become unavailable for the winter. And I am no exception!_

While everyone else seemed to be openly stating their intentions aloud to the group, Katie, on the other hand, was remaining silent and hiding behind the Fireside Girls' handbook.

_That is... if I can figure out what patch to go after._

"Let's see..." she said as she flipped through the book. "Hmmmm..."

* * *

><p>She was still looking through it in class, hiding it behind her English grammar book...<p>

...and in the hallway after school, while she got her things from her locker...

...and on the bus ride home...

...and while walking with the others to their secret clubhouse in the woods...

* * *

><p>...and she was still going through it during an impromptu meeting. Not that Isabella and the others seemed to mind. Or notice, even though the seven girls were sitting in a circle.<p>

"Let's see..." she mumbled, "the Help Thy Neighbor Patch, the Quantum Conundrum Patch, the You Think Too Much Patch..."

_And then, like a moth, no, wait, a bee, yeah a bee, takes to honey, I found a patch that I wanted to get._

"**I'VE GOT IT!**" she yelled, at the top of her lungs.

Of course, her loud declaration immediately got everyone else's attention, ending any conversation they might have been in the middle of.

"Got what, Katie?" questioned Isabella.

"I know what I'm going to do today!" she proudly declared.

"Huh. Well, if it's getting the Borrow a Catch Phrase Patch, then congratulations."

"No! Patch 2432! I wanna get Patch 2432!"

Everyone else in the room gasped in shock. Then, after a few seconds...

"Wait..." the others said simultaneously. "What's Patch 2432?"

**-  
>Entry #470 [FSD405] - Patch 2432 (07.08.13)<br>-**

_So now that I had a patch I could go after, I had to explain to the others what getting that patch required of me._

_But first, they had to get the patch number right._

"So you wanna do Patch 2324, the Ship Yourself to New South Wales Patch?" queried Gretchen, who had already built a kid-size crate postmarked for Australia.

"I think she meant Patch 3224," remarked Adyson, who was holding up a drawing of herself thinking of a chili dog while time traveling. "The '90s Reference Patch, right?"

"Obviously," cut in Holly, in a deep, gruff, manly voice, "Katie is talking about Patch 4223."

"**EEP!**" squeaked Milly, pointing at Holly in fright. "The Puberty Voice Change Patch!"

"I have laryngitis."

Milly started shaking her. "**YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO GROW UP!**"

"Calm down, girls," interjected their fearless leader, Isabella. "And by girls I mean Milly..."

"Sorry," the curly-haired girl hastily apologized, before letting go of Holly.

"Now. Katie, may I?"

Katie nodded as she handed Isabella the handbook. The others gathered around, hoping to get a peek at what Patch 2432 was. But when they saw the description, all their faces went white.

"2432? You sure?"

Katie nodded. Again, the others read the description.

"Is that really what that patch is?" wondered Adyson, as if she refused to believe it. "How come this is the first I've heard of this particular patch?"

"No clue," Isabella replied. "But I have heard stories about the 'Curse of Patch 2432.'"

"The 'Curse of Patch 2432?'" repeated Katie.

"The 'Curse of Patch 2432!'" exclaimed the other five girls.

Isabella turned around to face the girls so she could explain.

"Well, there's a rumor that Patch 2432 is legendary... because no one has ever earned it. The story goes that it was introduced 40 or so years ago, and that every single Fireside Girl that has ever attempted to get it not only failed, but subsequently left their troops soon thereafter, never earning another patch of any kind... **FOREVER!**"

"Yeah, right," growled Ginger. "A little late on the story, aren't we?"

"But it's true! 469 Fireside Girls have attempted to earn Patch 2432, and Katie, if you try... you'll be number 470!"

Katie smirked, lowering her goggles over her eyes. "I like those odds."

Milly raised a hand to dispute that, and ask where she had suddenly gotten goggles from, but Holly stopped her with a simple shake of the head.

"I'm not like the others. Isabella, you may be too scared to try it..."

Isabella cut in, raising her hand. "Um, for the record, I'm not scared. I... I just don't know if I could live with failing and having to leave the Fireside Girls."

"Oh. So Isabella's too... something... to try it. But not I, says I! I will get Patch 2432, even if it's the last thing I do!"

_As a Fireside Girl. Just wanted to put that out there in case people thought..._

_Let's just move on..._

* * *

><p>An hour later, at the Olde Malt Shoppe - which was just recently built but designed to look as if it was constructed in the 1950s - Katie and Isabella were walking away from the counter after having paid for five strawberry-flavored milkshakes. They walked over to a table where Milly, Ginger, and Adyson were already sitting at, on the outdoor patio. Once all the shakes were passed out, they took a few seconds to take in the fresh air and sip at their drinks before getting back to business.<p>

"Now," Isabella started off, looking at Katie, "are you absolutely, **ABSOLUTELY** sure..."

"For the 50th time, **YES!**"

Katie threw her hands up in frustration.

"It's like you don't have any faith in me, Isabella!"

Milly interjected. "Yes, Katie, Isabella's got no faith in you."

"Milly!" snapped the Jewish girl.

"Sorry!"

Ginger put in her two cents. "On the one hand, the failure rate **IS** 100 percent **AND** no less than two people will come out of this embarrassed. But on the other, it's gonna be a load of laughs for the rest of us, am I right? **HA HA HA!**"

Isabella, Milly, and Katie all gave her odd looks.

"Am I right? Girls?"

Still no change on their faces. Ginger started gently elbowing Adyson.

"Adyson, help me out here. Adyson?"

But Adyson was busy doing something else. She was sitting backwards in her chair and had a pair of binoculars held up at eye level. She seemed to be looking across the street and down a couple stores. The others followed her line of sight and instantly saw who was stealing her attention.

Baljeet.

"There he is, making another trip home from the bookstore."

They could all see the brown paper bag he was clutching tightly to his chest, but only Adyson, thanks to the binoculars, could see the books sticking out of the top.

"I know I'm busy a lot with presidential stuff, but, you know, he could tag along once in a while instead of just going off, burying himself in books. What does he see in those books that he doesn't see in me?"

She lowered her binoculars and turned around; she was promptly greeted by Ginger, who was in her face and was glaring at her.

"Uh..."

Isabella was about to get up and separate them, but there was no need. Ginger turned away on her own, taking deep, calming breaths and mumbling in between them.

"You promised... it's over... you promised... it's over..."

_I think Ginger's still, you know... though she's trying so hard not to be..._

All eyes were on Ginger, who kept repeating those two phrases, until...

"**HEY!**" shouted Katie, getting an idea. "What about using Baljeet?"

"**TOUCH HIM AND WE'RE SO NOT FRIENDS ANYMORE!**" yelled Adyson and Ginger, in unison.

"Wow," mumbled Isabella. "Awkward."

"I mean," Ginger corrected herself, "not that I care. Baljeet's a boy. That I'm not into anymore. I have to accept that. I have to accept that."

Isabella turned to look at Katie.

"Anyway... Katie, perhaps someone else?"

Katie thought for a minute.

"How about, uh, Ballpit Kid? Or maybe Pogo Stick Kid? Ooh, ooh... let's ask Bounce House Boy!"

"Um, I'm pretty sure they're all the same person."

"Wait! How about Phin-"

"No."

"But..."

"No."

"Isabella!"

"Still no!"

Milly piped in. "How about Baljeet?"

"But Adyson and Ginger shot him down already," Katie reminded her.

"I know, I know! But... Baljeet's right there. Or, rather, a couple of blocks away. But still, it's a moment of opportunity! Who knows how long it'll take to find another boy? You've got jump on the mouse and take it by the horns, Katie!"

"Milly? I totally agree! I think."

She then glanced over to Adyson and Ginger, seeking their approval.

"Fine," relented Adyson, "but only if I get to tag along to make sure you don't go too far. He's my boyfriend, after all."

"If she's going," declared Ginger, "then I am too, for the exact same reason! Th-the going too far part, not the boyfriend... part."

"I think we should all go," Isabella decided, putting a comforting hand on Katie's shoulder. "For moral support."

"Thanks, you all," Katie said, in gratitude. "Let's go get me a patch!"

The five girls all downed what remained of their shakes, left the glasses on the table, and ran after Baljeet.

* * *

><p><em>If only getting Patch 2432 was as easy as just wanting it...<em>

The group had followed Baljeet to the Googolplex Mall. They tailed him to the Food Court, where he emptied the books out of his bag. He then opened the largest of the bunch and started reading it. The girls all sat around a table five away from his, using other people around to hide their presence.

"That's a first," Isabella noted. "He reads here instead of at home. Never knew that."

"Okay," Katie said, taking a deep breath. "I'm going in."

They all waited for her to get up and head over to Baljeet's table. But she just continued to sit there.

"Uh..."

"I just remembered Buford! That's why Baljeet's here! He's probably meeting up with him any minute!"

"No worries," Ginger said, in assurance.

The Japanese girl pulled out a printed schedule and showed it to the others.

"Friday, 4:30 to 6, free time. See? Buford has certain times which he says he **WON'T** be around Baljeet."

Adyson scoffed. "You need a schedule to know when to be around Baljeet?"

"Unlike some people, I don't have girlfriend privileges."

"Also, 'free' is misspelled."

"That is on Buford."

"Enough, you two!" snapped Isabella. "Katie, if you please?"

Katie nodded. This time, she did get out of her seat and she started making her way over to Baljeet.

_Just be cool, Katie. Just be cool. Just walk up to him... and do it!_

Katie sneaked around, using cover to hide herself from Baljeet. She hid behind people, under tables, and within a plastic plant. Baljeet did not sense her approaching.

That was until she got bold and appeared right behind him.

"You know, it is not stealth if I can feel you breathing on me!"

Katie froze as Baljeet turned around to look at her.

"If you need something, Katie, all you have to do is ask."

_Doing it behind his back was now out of the question! Now I had to ask him if I could... now I had to ask him if I could..._

Katie ran back to the others, without saying a word to Baljeet.

_I couldn't do it!_

Katie was seen crying in the arms of Milly, who comfortingly patted her on the back.

"It's okay! We'll just find someone else."

The blonde nodded.

"Hey!"

The girls looked over at Buford, who had come to their table. He was pulling a red wagon behind him, and in it was a cast iron block and other molding materials.

"Say, Katie... you grew a half-inch since last week, right?"

Katie pulled away from Milly long enough to nod at Buford.

"Good to know," he said with a smirk.

He then left, leaving the girls flabbergasted.

"And you thought I was kidding about 'he has molds of everyone,'" Isabella said.

"**WHAT IS GOING ON?**"

They all turned their attention away from Buford and focused on Baljeet, who was suspicious of what they were all doing here. Or, specifically, what Katie was up to.

"I am trying to read! Although I am flattered that you wish to watch me partake in Italian architecture, I do want to know what you are up to."

Isabella started whistling, while the others looked away.

"Adyson."

"Huh?"

"Surely you will tell me what is going on. You are my girlfriend."

Ginger suddenly stood up, and without saying a word, she bolted for the restroom. A few seconds later, a loud, angry scream came from that direction. Shortly thereafter, a calm Ginger returned, taking her seat and motioned for everyone to continue as if nothing had happened.

"Ahem, Adyson?" Baljeet prompted once more.

Adyson was sweating nervously as she tugged at the collar of her shirt. She opened her mouth, about to spill everything because she felt obligated to.

"Baljeet, wait!" exclaimed Katie. "I'll tell you."

Katie dried her tears with the back of her sleeve, and then she leaned over to whisper something into Baljeet's ear. His eyes widened.

"**WHAT?**"

The blonde girl jumped back in fright. Baljeet was not happy with what he had just heard.

"You are telling me there is a patch for **THAT**? And yet, you **STILL **want it?"

Katie paused momentarily, then nodded in acknowledgement.

"That kind of behavior comes naturally to a bully like Buford. But a Fireside Girl? You should be heading home and hanging some shame curtains, Katie."

He then looked at the others.

"In fact, you all should for encouraging her!"

With that, Baljeet huffed and started walking back to his table.

"Baljeet, wait!" shouted Adyson, who got up and went after him.

Katie had a sad look on her face. She had never received a scowling from someone as mild-mannered as Baljeet. And even worse, she had nothing to show for embarrassing herself.

* * *

><p>Back at the lodge, Katie was still sulking over her failure to get Patch 2432. She was attempting to hide her sadness, as well as her fear that she would have to quit the Fireside Girls in shame, by random flipping through the handbook. Isabella, Milly, and Ginger looked on from afar, all at a loss of words to cheer her up.<p>

"What do we do?"

"You should talk to her. You're the leader."

"But I don't know what to say!"

_At that moment, I was ready to accept the fate of the curse. I was ready to go change out of my uniform and hand over my sash._

_And then..._

"**EUREKA!**"

Katie suddenly perked up, having found something in the handbook that might save her. The others went over to her, led by Isabella, who followed Katie's finger to a typo in the description of the patch. The word 'boy's'' was the point of contention.

"There are two apostrophes! I must've been covering up the second one when I handed it to you! Isabella!"

"On it!" she shouted, already on the computer.

They all gathered around their leader, who was pulling up the online version of the handbook.

"The digital version is always up-to-date. I just have to find the entry for that patch."

She did in a hurry, and they saw which apostrophe was the typo.

"It's boys', not boy's!" Katie shouted with glee. "It's boys', not boy's! **IT'S BOYS', NOT BOY'S!**"

* * *

><p><em>So, thanks to catching a typo that hadn't been caught in the written version of the handbook for years, I broke the 'Curse of Patch 2432!'<em>

Katie returned 20 minutes later, having purchased something from a nearby store. Isabella, Milly, and Ginger were outside by the flagpole, eager to watch their fellow Fireside Girl earn her patch.

"Go for it, Katie!" shouted Isabella, with encouragement.

The blonde-haired girl nodded and then went to work. She first had to pull down the Fireside Girls' flag, which she did rather quickly. Once it was down, she folded it up neatly and handed it to Isabella, who gladly held it. The trio then watched as Katie ripped open the package she had just gotten and pulled out an item from it. They stifled giggles and guffaws as Katie tied it to the rope, intending to fly it for the rest of the day instead of the flag.

Moments later, she raised the item up to the top of the flagpole. Once it was there, she knotted the rope at the bottom to hold it in place, and then she stepped back to admire her work.

Because now flapping in the wind in front of the troop's headquarters was a pair of never-worn boys' underwear. Ginger and Milly cheered loudly for Katie as Isabella read from the handbook to confirm the task had been completed correctly.

"'Established during the Great Prank War, Patch 2432 is awarded to any Fireside Girl who could obtain boys' underwear and fly it from the member's troop's flagpole. Back when it was first created, it was a reward for any Fireside Girl who could rip the underwear from an actual boy and **THEN** fly it from the flagpole.'"

She closed the book and continued her explanation.

"According to the online addendum, such an act was against the founding principles of the Fireside Girls, and thus was one of many pranks on boys that were banned after the war. Apparently, putting glue on glue sticks and replacing the chocolate milk in milk cartons with apple juice could earn you patches back in the day. Go figure. Anyway, although pranking acts such as underwear snatching were banned, the patch itself was NEVER retired or decommissioned."

"Which meant that not only did the previous 469 girls who attempted it were all post-GPW, but that they followed the original interpretation of the requirements," deduced Ginger.

"That means 469 boys over the past four decades probably had girls who tried to rip off their... wow."

Cries of 'ick,' 'gross,' and 'unsanitary' came from the others.

"And I almost was number 470!" shouted Katie.

"Good thing you spotted that typo, or we'd be down a Fireside Girl."

"I hear that!"

* * *

><p><em>And with that, I became the first girl to earn Patch 2432...<em>

Isabella handed Katie the patch, and Ginger and Milly cheered and applauded her for a job well done.

"Glad we had one of those lying around," Isabella remarked.

Katie looked at her new patch, which was symbolized by a pair of boys' underwear shaped like a flag.

_...or, as it's now known as, the Salute His Shorts Patch._

"So, Chief," Katie said with a smirk, "can we just pretend this never happened?"

"It's going on the blog."

Katie frowned. "Of course it is."

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Number of references in this one. The "Phineas and Ferb" ones you should've picked out (unless you live somewhere where Season 4 hasn't started airing yet); the ones that aren't... have fun figuring those out!<p>

Also, coming up with a random patch that wasn't too mean-spirited was hard! Just sayin'.

**Next Week: **The Hirano family is spending winter vacation in their homeland, Japan. Ginger hopes to finally forget about Baljeet, but even being half a world away doesn't help. Perhaps a Tokyo Fireside Girl can give her the answer? Find out as "Fireside Diaries" heads eastward, next time!


	45. Ginger Lets it Out

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, this is the last of four straight 'character spotlight' entries, and now it's Ginger's turn to be the focus. She and her family are taking a trip, and you get to ride along, unlike Isabella and the others, who will be reading about it along with you!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisite (i.e. read that first before reading this):  
><strong>- Entry #470 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 405)

* * *

><p>Inside the troop's lodge downtown...<p>

"It's up, Chief, it's up!"

Hearing Gretchen call out to her from across the room, Isabella - who was in the midst of sewing a new sash after her old one had worn itself out - ran over to where her friend was sitting. En route, she was joined by Adyson - who hung up on the person she had been talking to - and the two arrived at Gretchen's location, which was in front of the lodge's computer.

"I can't believe Ginger wrote an entry about her family's trip to Japan," Isabella said aloud. "Something big must've happened for her to not wait until she was back to post it."

"What could it be?" Adyson wondered.

"There's only one way to find out!" declared Gretchen.

She pressed the enter button, and all three girls gathered around the screen to read it.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #502 - Written by Ginger Hirano<em>

_Normally, we're not allowed to post entries about what happens on family vacations. But I figure that Isabella will let this one slide, especially after she and the others read this._

_Speaking of which, girls, if you are reading this, you might remember that I wasn't in the best of moods leading up to this trip._

* * *

><p>On a school day when they were getting their math tests handed back, Ginger was given hers...<p>

_I got my worst score ever on a math test..._

...and was shocked to see that she had gotten an 85 that was accompanied by a comment that stated that it was 'very disappointing.'

* * *

><p><em>I failed to get the Silence is Golden Patch after getting paired up with Adyson, of all people...<em>

Ginger and Adyson were in a small room where they were supposed to not make any sounds for 10 minutes. Then, out of the blue, both of their cell phones rang simultaneously.

"Turn that off!" they both shouted, in unison.

The door into the room opened, and they saw Isabella stare at them while shaking her head in disappointment.

* * *

><p><em>And let us not forget what happened on the plane...<em>

Ginger was looking out of the plane from her window seat as the engines roared to life. She could see all of her friends waving from inside the terminal, but upon seeing Baljeet's face one last time, she lost it.

"I can't do this!" Ginger started fumbling with her belt buckle, trying to unfasten it. "Get me off, I can't do this."

"Ginger?"

Her mom, who was sitting in the seat in front of her, was about to turn around and see what was up.

"I got this, Mom," Stacy interjected, as she was sitting next to her little sister.

Stacy turned to Ginger, who was having a nervous breakdown.

"I can't leave now. I won't see Baljeet for two weeks. I'm not ready to not be that far from him. I have to be there if he... if he... if he..."

Stacy snapped her fingers in front of Ginger's face, and told her two words...

"Apple cider!"

* * *

><p><em>...the next thing I knew...<em>

Ginger awakened to the sound of the pilot speaking over the intercom.

"...seats to the upright position. We will be landing at Narita International Airport in approximately 20 minutes."

She looked out the window and, although they were still over water at that moment, she could see land off in the distance.

_But I guess by that point, it didn't matter._

**-  
>Entry #502 [FSD406] - Ginger Lets it Out (07.15.13)<br>-**

_Anyway, my parents had been planning this trip to Tokyo for months. And for good reason... I've never been to my homeland before. So I was about to meet a lot of them in person for the first time ever._

The Hirano family walked up to the place where Stacy's and Ginger's grandmother lived.

"Hey, everybody!" she shouted. "Look who's here!"

A number of girls of various ages all ran out of the building...

_And I meant a __**LOT**__ of them._

...and the first thing they did was to surround Ginger and shower her with love and affection, all in the form of hugs.

* * *

><p>A little while later, their grandmother gave them a tour. And it started with...<p>

_My grandmother owns a tempura restaurant. It's pretty popular, apparently._

All of Stacy's cousins were helping out at the packed eatery in some capacity, with most of the younger ones, including Ginger, stuck in the back washing dishes and doing other menial tasks.

_It was fun. As fun as washing dishes can be, anyway._

* * *

><p><em>Thankfully, it was a vacation first and foremost, so we did actually get to see some of the sights.<em>

A number of photos of Stacy and Ginger were taken of them at Tokyo Tower, the Imperial Palace, and the Meiji Shrine, just to name a few.

_And we got to see something special, given our timing..._

The entire Hirano family was among a number of others standing along the coast of Tokyo Bay up very early to watch the first sunrise of the year.

_That was great and all, but even in a grand city like Tokyo, you will eventually run out of things to see and do that interest you..._

* * *

><p><em>...and that's when you start thinking about home, and the problems that you left behind.<em>

_In my case, well... you know that story already..._

Ginger sighed as she stared out the window of the bedroom she was sharing with her parents and Stacy. She was oblivious to all of the noise coming from the restaurant downstairs, as she was lost in thought. If she could not hear any of the hustle and bustle going on beneath her, Ginger definitely did not hear her older sister walk in the room, closing the rice paper sliding door behind her.

"Ginger? Ginger!"

Not getting a response, Stacy went over and tapped on Ginger's shoulder. Ginger spun around and acknowledged Stacy's presence.

"Huh? Sis?"

"Ginger, why are you up here moping?"

The younger Hirano lowered her head in despair and sighed. Stacy instantly knew what was wrong.

"You're still thinking about him, aren't you?"

Ginger nodded.

"It's been several months already! It's time to move on, girl! And that's why we're spending Winter Break in our homeland, so you can finally get away from all that stuff back home."

"I know, sis. But..."

"But nothing! We're in Tokyo, the Fashion Capital of the World! You weren't even born the last time we were here; I was still a baby! We need to do more sightseeing! And by more sightseeing, I mean **GO SHOPPING**! I've got to buy a bunch of souvenirs for Candace and Jeremy and Jenny and all my other friends. Oh, and I've always wanted to try on a yukata."

"I'm not in the mood to blow six months' allowance in a day."

"Well, if you don't, Mom'll have you bus tables downstairs."

Ginger groaned in dismay. "Oh, fine."

"Come on," Stacy grabbed her sister by the arm and pulled her out of the room with her, "we've only got eight hours of shopping 'til nightfall!"

* * *

><p><em>I realized much later that going with my sis was a mistake. I was thinking so much about what was going on with Baljeet and Adyson and what they might be doing together while I was away that I had forgotten how much of a shopaholic Stacy was.<em>

Stacy was seen running, not walking, from store to store in the Shibuya Shopping District. Each time the sisters came out of one, Ginger was holding a new bag. And that quickly added up over time, to the point where the younger Hirano was holding no less than a dozen bags.

And carrying them all used up a lot of energy. So, in store #13...

"Sis!" whined Ginger, as she sat on a bench with all the bags around her.

Stacy stuck her head out from behind a stack of shoe boxes.

"I know, I know. I doubly-extra swear that we'll get something to eat in a minute! I just need to try on two, no, three more pairs of shoes, k?"

Ginger groaned as Stacy walked off with some shoe boxes.

"She never realizes that when she says two or three, she means six or seven."

A local girl with brown hair, perhaps a year younger than Ginger, sat down next to her. Ginger gasped when she realized what the girl was wearing. The orange top was a darker shade than Ginger was used to seeing, but there was no mistaking that this stranger was...

"A Fireside Girl!"

"You know of the Fireside Girls?"

Ginger nodded. "Know of 'em? I am one!"

Ginger pulled out an ID card, which had her Fireside Girl credentials and troop number on it.

"I see," the girl said. "Well, welcome to Japan! My name is Sakura, leader of Fireside Girls Troop 70000."

"70000?"

"Yes. I'd give you a history lesson on the significance, but I take it that you have more important things on your mind."

As if to answer Sakura's question, Ginger's cell phone vibrated, indicating someone had just sent her a text. It was from Adyson, and it read, 'FYI, going out with B tonight. -A.'

"Why is she sending me..."

Suddenly, a second text. It read, 'Forgot you were still in Japan. Ignore. -A.'

_I need to remind Addy that she doesn't have to text me every time she plans to go out with Baljeet anymore._

"Is everything okay?" asked Sakura.

"I... guess."

"That didn't sound convincing."

"Speaking of convincing, you speak English pretty well."

Sakura nodded as she pointed to the Second Language Patch on her sash.

"So... again, not very convincing. There's definitely something on your mind."

_Sakura was right. I was ready to tell her everything that had happened between me and Baljeet and Adyson._

"I can help," Sakura cut her off, as she scribbled something on the back of a business card. "Meet me at this location tomorrow morning at seven."

She handed the card to Ginger.

"Seven? Is that a hard seven, or can I show up after spending half an hour getting lost?"

Ginger looked to Sakura for an answer, but she had left in a flash.

"Hello?"

Ginger glanced down at the card Sakura had given her.

_Should I take her up on this offer, or just completely ignore it?_

* * *

><p><em>Well, if I had chosen the latter, you know I wouldn't be writing this, right?<em>

The next morning, Ginger arrived at the location written on the card, which was in one of Tokyo's many parks. Sakura was waiting for her.

"For a minute there," Sakura told her, "I didn't think you were gonna come."

"I had to find out why you thought I 'needed help,'" said Ginger in reply, accenting the last two words with air quotes.

"All you have to know, Ginger, is that if you do what I say, then your problem will be gone forever."

"Okay. But, again, why do I 'need help.'"

Sakura rolled her eyes, and then got right to the point.

"You like a boy named Baljeet, and you have for a couple years now. But despite your love for him, you're afraid to confess your love to him. Meanwhile, you have a friend named Adyson, who is also a member of your troop, who agreed to one date with Baljeet last year, out of pity. Nothing came of it until a few months ago, when suddenly Adyson developed feelings for him and asked him out on a real date. When you found out, you were enraged. You wanted to tear your friend apart, but you also confessed your love to your crush and you wanted him to choose you or Adyson. He chose Adyson. After a few days of sulking, you got over it and made peace with her. Only you're not really over it, and although you haven't acted on your feelings because you made an agreement not to as long as the two of them were dating, it's tearing you apart on the inside to just stand there and pretend to be okay with it."

Ginger was stunned speechlessly.

_Wow. How did she know that?_

"Those 'Fireside Diaries' are an interesting read, by the way. I'd say your troop should be more careful about how personal your entries get, but, eh, it's your blog."

_Of course._

"Okay, so you actually do know my problem. So, how are you gonna fix it?"

"Follow me, and I'll show you."

Ginger did just that, and let Sakura lead her to a place where a bunch of wooden poles were sticking out of the ground.

"Ginger, I'm about to teach you the Way of the Samurai. It'll help you solve your problem."

"How?" questioned Ginger, still unsure of what Sakura meant.

Sakura picked up a bo staff, which was propped up against one of the poles. She twirled it around her body in various ways, to the amazement of Ginger, before swinging it at the nearest pole, breaking it in two at waist level.

"Whoa."

"Now you try."

Sakura handed Ginger the staff and directed her to the next pole in the circle. Ginger did not understand why, but she took a swing at it with the staff. But when the weapon hit the pole, nothing happened.

"Lemme guess," Sakura interjected. "You just swung, hoping you'd do the same thing I did with ease, right?"

Ginger nodded.

"You can't just break a wooden pole on will alone! You have to have a reason to use that bo to break it! Tell me, Ginger, if that pole was actually Baljeet, what would you do?"

"Um," Ginger giggled nervously, "something I'm too young to be doing?"

"Let's put it another way. Ahem... what would you do if that pole was Baljeet and he was telling you that he chose Adyson over you?"

"I... I'd ask him why!"

"And?"

"And I'd prove why I'm better for him than Adyson!"

"How?"

"By... by... by..."

Without thinking, Ginger took another swing at the pole with the staff. This time, it resulted in the pole being left cracked slightly after being hit. Seeing this, Sakura continued to urge Ginger on.

"Now, imagine that pole is you! You're just waiting and waiting to confess your feelings to Baljeet, but you can't do it! What do you do?"

"I don't know. I... I..."

"Don't use words, use actions."

Upon hearing that, Ginger raised the bo and took another swing at the pole.

"Hah!"

The crack in the pole became bigger. But it was not yet to the point where it was completely separated at the point of impact.

"Now... imagine that it's Adyson! You're in disbelief that, despite her knowing you had a thing for Baljeet, she went and asked him out anyway. **WITHOUT ASKING YOU IF IT WAS OKAY FIRST!**"

Filled with rage, Ginger screamed angrily as she swung at the pole a third time.

"**HAAAAAAAH!**"

This time, she swung with enough force to break the top part of the pole away from the bottom part, sending it flying a few feet before hitting the ground.

"I..." stuttered Ginger, "I can't believe Adyson would do that to me. We... we're such good friends. And yet... and yet..."

Ginger moved on to the next pole without being prompted, and swung at it. It broke on one try. Sakura stood back and observed as Ginger went in a circle to each of the other poles, also slicing them in two, one at a time.

"Excellent," mumbled Sakura.

Ginger was panting heavily, exhausted.

_I still was not sure why I was doing this, but for some reason, I knew it made me feel... better._

* * *

><p><em>The next morning, I returned to the park. And Sakura was waiting again, this time with more poles, and all made of a slightly harder wood to break than the ones used yesterday.<em>

Sakura handed over her bo to Ginger once more, and after a little more suggestion, Ginger went to work slicing all of the poles apart. It required a little more effort to cut them off, but Sakura kept her thinking about what she, Baljeet, and Adyson had all done wrong.

"There you go!"

"Yes!"

* * *

><p><em>I kept going to the park at the same time every morning for the next four days. Each day, Sakura would have more poles waiting, and they'd all be harder to break than the last set.<em>

"**HAH! HAAH! HAAAAAAAH!**" she grunted, upon breaking three poles in quick succession.

_I just kept breaking pole after pole after pole. At some point, though, I started to struggle..._

On the fourth day, a few of the poles refused to break in one try. On the fifth, even more took several swings to be snapped in half.

* * *

><p><em>...and then...<em>

On the sixth day, which also happened to be the last full day of the Hirano family's vacation, Ginger appeared to be at an impasse. No matter how hard she swung, the poles refused to break. Or even crack.

"What's going on?" Ginger asked aloud. "Sakura, I'm doing everything you're telling me. I'm using all my strength and I'm not tired. What's going on?"

Sakura was suspicious. She could tell Ginger was being truthful. She could also tell the girl was frustrated.

"Tell me... are you still angry at Baljeet for choosing Adyson over you?"

Ginger thought for a second before responding.

"No."

"Are you still angry at yourself for not confessing to Baljeet sooner?"

"No."

"Are you still angry at Adyson for dating Baljeet without asking you first?"

To that final question, the answer was also the same.

"No."

Sakura motioned for Ginger to hand her the bo. Once she had done so, Sakura gave her some good news.

"Your problem is solved."

"Huh? Wait... you're telling me... what **ARE** you telling me?"

Sakura put an arm around Ginger and the two started walking.

"Why don't I explain it to you over lunch?"

* * *

><p><em>So, after finishing a meal at my grandma's restaurant, which would've been my treat, but <em>_**SOMEONE**__ not only spent six months' worth of her allowance but a couple months of mine as well... CoughBigSisCough..._

"You're telling me," Ginger repeated, "that my problem was that I couldn't move on because I was still so angry about what happened and what everyone did? But by keeping it in and not being vocal about it, that made it so it would keep lingering, hurting me both on the inside and outside, and I was almost to the point that if I didn't let it out, I'd explode and unleash my wrath on anyone and everyone around me, destroying my relations with family and friends alike?"

Sakura finished chewing the piece of tempura fish in her mouth before answering.

"Exactly. And now that you get it, I can give you this!"

Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out a Way of the Samurai Patch.

"Thanks! Though I'm not sure how getting me to release my anger is something a samurai would... it's better if I don't question it."

"Uh huh."

The two girls laughed before going back to finishing their meal.

_And, just like that, I guess I can truly, officially, __**FINALLY**__ say that I have moved on. Baljeet, I respect your decision. Myself, I understand that I am to blame for not making a move. And Adyson? You're free to date Baljeet without worrying about me looking over your shoulder. He's all yours as long as you want him._

_And with that, I'm gonna sign off. By the time this is posted, we'll be on the plane, making the long trip home._

_If big sis can get her suitcases closed, that is._

* * *

><p>"We can all rest easier now that all that's over," Gretchen said, relieved.<p>

Isabella looked at the others. "We should go meet her at the airport in the morning and celebrate after she arrives."

"Mmm hmm," Adyson nodded in agreement. "At last."

The three then started making plans for Ginger's return.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**

For clarification, before anyone asks, I decided that since they have English names, Stacy and Ginger were both born after their parents immigrated from Japan. I think that's a safe assumption to make.

Also, yes, we've moved into the winter months with this entry. Expect pretty much the rest of the episodes this season to take place in that time frame. Speaking of which...

**Next Week: **The competitive juices are flowing as the girls all become rivals! They are amongst many youngsters in Danville competing for tickets to go to the International Winter Games! Which Fireside Girl will emerge triumphant? Find out the answer on the next episode of the "Fireside Diaries!"


	46. Winning for Winter

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Apologies for getting this up a day late, as things have been so hectic the last few days that I had trouble finding time to write this. This is worth the wait, though, as we finally, and I mean finally, get into this season's main plot.

The original idea for this entry came from user PFStories17. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisite (i.e. read that first before reading this):  
><strong>- Entry #502 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 406)

* * *

><p><em>Entry #507 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_Dateline: January, in the Tri-State Area_

_Every four years, athletes from all over the world gather in a competition known as the International Winter Games. It's dedicated to awarding the planet's best in multiple disciplines such as skiing, hockey, figure skating, and the most misunderstood of them all... that one that involves using brooms to sweep a rock from one end of an ice rink to the other._

The narrator looked out the passenger-side window of a station wagon, admiring the snow-heavy trees off to the side of the road as the vehicle she was riding in drove up a mountain road.

_But as much as it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the participants, it's just as much so for those lucky enough to watch the games in person. Especially given the price transportation, hotels, and tickets, such an honor is usually reserved either for the rich or those with 'connections'..._

_...or those who are lucky._

The car came to a stop, and the narrator opened the door and hopped out of the car, wearing weather-appropriate clothing. In her hand she had a flier advertising a special competition for kids ages 6-17, in which the winner would win a four-pack of tickets to the upcoming installment of the International Winter Games, all expenses paid.

_Today... I hope the lucky one..._

_...is me._

She closed the door to the car, and the camera panned upwards to reveal that the narrator was none other than Isabella.

"Russia, here I come!"

**-  
>Entry #507 [FSD407] - Winning for Winter (07.22.13)<br>-**

Isabella walked away from the registration table with her two entry bibs in hand. She started pinning one to the front of her coat. As she finished, she had instinctively made her way to the competitors' base area, which was surprisingly full of a lot of familiar faces.

"Whoa," she gasped. "Is every kid in the Tri-State Area here?"

"Just about."

She spun around in delight, upon hearing the voice of a certain boy from across the street.

"Hi, Phineas! Whatcha doin'?"

"I've come to check out what all the hubbub's about. Or, rather, we all did."

"We?"

Phineas stepped aside to show that Ferb, Baljeet, and Buford were there with him.

"Wait! Are you a part of this too, Phineas?"

_Please say no. Please say no!_

"Why, yes! Yes, I am!"

_Drat!_

"Ferb and I helped with designing all of the events."

_Drat retracted!_

"That doesn't mean we made it easy. Everyone's gotta have a fair shot, y'know."

"Heh heh. Of course, Phineas."

_And retracting the retracted drat!_

"Who cares about fair?" Buford asked rhetorically. "I'll do anything I need to to win. And no girl is gonna stop me."

"Ooh!" Isabella hissed, taking the threat as a challenge.

"Good luck getting past my secret weapon!"

Buford held it up in front of him. It was Baljeet.

"Hello!"

Isabella put her hands on her hips. "Does Adyson know about this?"

"Why don't you ask her, cream puff?" growled Buford. "She's over there."

Buford pointed to the brunette, who had her back turned to them. But she was not alone, as Isabella could see.

"Whoa."

She left the boys and headed over to the girls, who were all having a little conversation.

_Gretchen, Ginger, Milly, Katie, Holly, and Adyson. They were all here._

"Why are you all here?" Isabella asked the girls upon reaching them.

They all turned to face their troop leader. After a few seconds, one of them finally spoke up.

"The same reason you are," answered Holly. "To win those tickets!"

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" shouted Milly. "We wouldn't pass this up in a trillion years!"

"And we're not taking 'no' for an answer," Adyson declared.

"You do know that only **ONE** of us can win today," Isabella said to them all.

Everyone nodded.

"Well, as long as we're all clear on that. Good luck, and may the best Fireside Girl win!"

"**AYE AYE, CHIEF!**" the others bellowed in unison.

"Wait there a cotton pickin' minute!" exclaimed a teenage voice from afar. "Aren't you forgettin' one Fireside Girl?"

They turned to the source of the voice and saw Candace standing there, with a confident smirk on her face.

"You said may the best Fireside Girl win, right? Well, since I **AM** one, by proxy, that **MEANS** you want **ME** to win, since I'm **CLEARLY** the best."

Isabella seemed a bit uneasy.

"Not that you're statement is untrue, as you technically are still a Fireside Girl, but I question if you should still be. When's the last time you attended a meeting?"

Candace scoffed. "Details, details. It's not like there's a Mandatory Attendance Badge or Pin or whatever. Look, I'm gonna win this thing, leave you all eating my dust, and then I'll get to bust Phineas and Ferb for helping set up this mockery of a sports competition. See you out on the course, losers!"

The redhead stuck her tongue out at them before walking off.

* * *

><p><em>With rivalries renewed, it was time for the competition to begin! The first event? The 5k cross country ski race!<em>

More than 100 kids and teenagers were lined up at the starting line, all on their skis and ready to go. Phineas was ready to send them off.

"Okay, everybody!" he shouted through a megaphone. "On your mark, get set..."

Ferb then pulled out an airhorn and used it, signifying the start of the race, as well as giving everyone there a temporary loss of hearing. The skiers were off, and immediately, the stronger competitors moved their way to the front. That included Candace...

"Can't catch me!" she barked as she got to the front of the pack...

...Buford and Baljeet...

"Outta the way!" growled Buford, elbowing people aside to get through.

"Do not be mad at him," apologized Baljeet, who trailed close behind and did damage control. "It is in his nature!"

...and Adyson and Isabella, who proceeded side-by-side.

"Those tickets will be mine, Addy!"

"Nope! They're mine, Izzy!"

_As Adyson and I traded barbs, it wasn't long before the course changed from a traditional Winter International Games' one to a course full of Phineas and Ferb obstacles and traps._

Candace chuckled as she reached the part of the course that went through the woods as the race leader.

"This is a piece of cake!"

She spoke too soon, though, as pop-up paper trees appeared ahead. The idea was to require the competitors to weave between them. But Candace saw the first one too late...

"**AAAAHHHHHH!**"

...and she went right into it. Instead of stopping her as intended, though, Candace kept going, taking the fake tree with her. She tossed it behind her to clear her vision, and it would have hit Buford had he not knocked the incoming object away with one of his ski poles.

"Is that all you got?"

The rest of the field started coming through behind him. A few skiers were caught by surprise when more waves of fake trees popped up amongst the first, sending competitors crashing, flying, or falling. Among the unlucky ones was Katie, who had to make a sharp turn to avoid one that had rose up right in front of her, and she ended up running into a real tree.

"Oof!" she mumbled, after hitting it face first and sliding back to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Gretchen asked, coming to a stop next to her fallen friend.

"I'm good," Katie replied, before falling onto her back.

Back up front, Candace led the way through the rest of the course. They all had to dodge an animatronic wild bear with real growling sounds, weave around a dozen snowmen built from snow and, in some cases, large rocks, and traverse gently over an ice-covered lake. Candace screamed as she was affected by each of the obstacles, but despite that, she kept everyone behind her and got to the finish line first.

"I won? **I WON!**"

"Congratulations, Candace," Phineas said to her.

"Gimme my prize. Gimme, gimme, gimme!"

"There isn't one except for the grand prize at the end."

"No prize, huh? I'm gonna bust you for that, y'know."

Candace pulled her cell phone out of her coat and tried to call Mom.

"Ugh, no signal! Stupid ski resort!"

After a few others got in, Isabella and Adyson were still neck-and-neck as they approached the finish. Along the way, they passed by Baljeet, who was pulling a sled that had Buford sitting on it. Seeing this, Adyson slowed down to raise an objection.

"Baljeet! Are you okay?"

She glared back at Buford, who was not frightened of her stare at all. And while she was focused on her boyfriend's tormentor, Isabella sped up and away.

"No need to worry about me!" Baljeet exclaimed. "Isabella is going, going, and gone!"

Adyson saw Isabella getting away. She forgot about helping Baljeet and attempted to chase down Isabella instead. But the gap was too large to make up in a short amount of time, and Isabella crossed the line ahead of her.

"**YES!** Isabella 1, Adyson nothing!"

"Oh, but the battle has just begun! It's not over 'til the cows come home!"

* * *

><p><em>Adyson was definitely right, though. One battle does not win a competition, particularly with the much more treacherous second event ready to start. Short-track speed skating... on a pond!<em>

The top 50 finishers from the first event advanced onto the second, and among them were Candace, Buford, Baljeet, and five-sevenths of the core members of Troop 46231.

"Go get 'em, girls!" shouted Milly and Katie from the stands after failing to move on.

All of the remaining competitors were seen participating in a random drawing to determine which of ten heats they would be racing in.

_In theory, a random drawing was probably not the best way to determine who would be racing against whom, particularly since only the first two finishers in each heat would move on to the next event..._

After Isabella drew a poker chip with the number '4' on it, Adyson took her turn... and also drew a chip with a '4' on it.

_...and I ended up getting grouped with Adyson._

* * *

><p>Isabella stepped up to the line with a determined look on her face. Adyson was flashing a confident smirk as she slid up to Isabella's right. And among the others in their heat was Holly, assuring that at least one of the Fireside Girls was not going to advance past this event. To make things even more difficult, the Phineas-and-Ferb twist was that everyone had small rockets on their skates, which would them go even faster.<p>

**POP!**

The starting pistol went over, and the five skaters sprint-skated off the line to get to the first turn. The three Fireside Girls immediately showed off their abilities by leading the way. Isabella was up front, with Holly directly on her outside, and Adyson following right behind Isabella. They stayed that way for the first lap before Holly sped up and got in front of Isabella, taking over the lead.

_But as much as I was worrying about Adyson, I should've been worrying about Holly, who's a great skater in her own right._

Isabella looked outside a couple times to try and get the lead back, but Holly was not having any of it. As Isabella did that, Adyson was just waiting for the right moment to strike. And she found it as the girls came to the line with one lap to go.

"Bye!" Adyson shouted, zooming by Isabella on the outside.

Fearing elimination, Isabella had to act quickly. She followed Adyson, who was in the process of passing Holly on the outside. Adyson got by just as they entered the final turn, while Isabella hustled to get in position. Coming to the line, Adyson crossed first, followed by Isabella, who somehow managed to just out-lean Holly at the line for the second and final transfer spot.

"Looks like the score's one-all, Izzy," said Adyson with a smirk, not even out of breath after that performance.

"It's far from over, Addy," retorted Isabella.

_And that was the truth, given the heavy hitters we were still up against._

Candace and Buford were seen easily winning their heats, while Baljeet got left behind in his, Ginger was taken out in a spill that was not her fault, and Gretchen - as a result of that incident - lucked out and got to advance.

* * *

><p>"Time for the third event!" Phineas shouted.<p>

The remaining competitors stood at the starting line, looking up a hill with a fairly steep incline. Along the way to the finish at the top were shelters of various designs and construction. They were built for temporary relief from snowballs being shot from machines and thrown by hand from people standing at the top.

_The third event of the competition? The dreaded snow mountain run!_

Again, Ferb sounded off an airhorn, and the 20 remaining competitors began their run up their hill. While some played it cautious as they immediately ducked behind and underneath the first few protective barriers as the snowballs started to fly, some people just recklessly charged forward...

"**HA!**" shouted Candace at the snowball chuckers. "You couldn't hit the broadside of a snowman!"

Upon hearing that, they started throwing larger snowballs. Candace dodged some of them... and also took a few to the face.

"Argh, that one hurt!" she exclaimed after one hit her in the nose.

"This is nothin'!" bellowed Buford, who watched a few snowballs hit him in the stomach and slide right off.

Not too far behind them were Isabella and Adyson, who were hunkering behind a three-foot wall that was being pelted by machine-fired snowballs.

"What's the matter, Adyson? Wishing you had a presidential bodyguard right now?"

"You know those don't exist in grade school, Isabella! Maybe you should go first... Phineas might take pity on you and not shoot. Might."

"He's playing fair and you know it! I'll get pelted as hard as anyone else on this hill!"

"Yeah? Prove it!"

Adyson had just dared Isabella to step out into the line of fire, and she was not going to take 'no' for an answer. Isabella ran out and headed upwards. She gracefully ducked and spun out of the way, dodging most of the shots aimed at her and only taking one or two hits - one on the shoulder and the other on the arm.

Not wanting to be showed up, Adyson also came out from her hiding place and followed Isabella's path, footstep by footstep. She took her share of fire, but she rolled and sidestepped a high number of the shots at her as well.

She caught up to Isabella about two-thirds of the way up, taking a rest behind a very rotund snowman.

"No more shelter from here on up," Isabella warned Adyson. "Still time to give up!"

"Yeah, right!" Adyson said in response. "I wanna win this just as much as you, for the boy of my dreams!"

With similar goals in mind, the two girls resumed their ascent. With no shelter, it was harder to dodge. Even if you had managed to get out of the way of one, you were likely to get hit by a snowball that the other person had dodged. Isabella and Adyson both gritted their teeth and took the pounding, holding up their arms in front of them to protect their faces. The snow started accumulating on them and they found themselves starting to get weighed down.

Then, without warning, it had stopped. Lowering their arms, they saw why.

They had crossed the finish line. At the exact same time.

"**WE DID IT! WE DID IT!**" the two girls jumped up and down together in celebration.

"Woo hoo!" Buford said sarcastically. "Join the club."

He pointed to the five other kids that had beaten them up there, including himself, and, of course, Candace, who was jumping up and down as well. But in anger.

"**I WANNA PRIZE! I WANNA PRIZE! I WANNA PRIZE!**"

Isabella felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and was surprised to see a clump of snow. And it, or rather, she was wearing glasses.

"Oh! Hi, Gretchen!"

She spat some snow out of her mouth. "It's first grade all over again."

* * *

><p><em>Despite the competition, I could feel those tickets practically being handed to me. I only had one more event to get through.<em>

_The ice dancing survival event._

Only ten moved on to the last event, which brought them back to the icy pond.

"In this final event," explained Phineas to the finalists, "you will have to be skating continuously around this pond for 20 minutes straight. Every so often, we'll command you to perform either a trick or a dance move. Complete them all and last to the end, and those still standing will win the grand prize... the tickets to the International Winter Games!"

"Hee hee hee hee," snickered Candace. "I'm gonna win those tickets and then I'll bust Phineas and Ferb so they can't go! It's the ultimate bust **AND** reward!"

She pulled out of her cell phone and held it up in the air.

"Ooh, if only I'd get a signal so I could call Mom!"

The whistle blew to start the final event, and a large timer set for 20 minutes at the far end of the pond started counting down. As expected, Isabella and Adyson were skating near each other, not wanting to let the other out of their sights.

"Final showdown time, Garcia-Shapiro!"

"Bring it, Sweetwater!"

They went around Buford, who was just standing there in the middle of the ice, doing nothing.

"What? You expect me to do all that ice swan junk? Forget it!"

_Well, that's one less person to worry about._

"Single axel!" shouted Phineas.

The skaters all did the basic figure skating jump with no problem.

"Do the hustle!"

Again, they obeyed him, performing the hustle dance on ice. Phineas started giving commands faster.

"Okay, five-second camel spin! Electric slide! Rocker turn! The Charleston! The chicken dance! Sit spin!"

A couple faltered during the sequence, but most stayed on their feet.

"Now do the Harlem Shake!"

Those still on the ice started dancing randomly on the ice, wearing unusual costumes that had appeared out of nowhere. That continued for 15 seconds or so, before it ended with...

"And... single axel!"

Back in their original outfits as if nothing had even happened, everyone performed the final jump as asked. Except for one, who was still stuck shaking.

"Uh huh... oh yeah... the Candace way! The Candace way!"

The music stopped, and Candace saw that everyone was staring at her.

"Ooh... sorry Candace," Phineas said apologetically. "You're out."

"**WHAT?** You can't do that! You two are **SO** busted!"

Candace skated off the pond and went to find a cell phone signal to call Mom.

_We all know how that turns out. Anyway..._

* * *

><p>Everyone was gathered around a hastily-assembled stage, where Phineas and Ferb were ready to announce who the winner was.<p>

"Okay, everyone, settle down! The judges have made their decision."

Phineas pointed to a group of five adults - four men and one woman - that had scored everyone who had completed the final event.

"That's the first I've heard of them," Ferb admitted out loud.

The envelope with the decision was passed to Phineas, who immediately opened it.

"And the winner is..."

Isabella and Adyson leaned forward in anticipation...

"Gretchen! It's Gretchen!"

Gretchen cheered as she ran up to the stage to receive her prize. Everyone applauded for her, except for Isabella and Adyson, who were both left with jaws dropped in shock.

_Wait, wait, wait. __**WAIT!**__ Gretchen? __**GRETCHEN?**_

_How did she win?_

"And here to award the tickets," Phineas proclaimed, "TV star Ariel Winter!"

_Ooooooooooooooh._

_What a gyp!_

Ariel Winter smiled as she handed Gretchen the ticket package.

_I'm pretty sure Addy and I thought about protesting..._

Isabella and Adyson screamed with glee.

_But come on! It's Ariel Winter! How can you be mad at her?_

"You wanna get Ariel Winter's autograph?" asked Adyson.

"Is the sky blue?" shot back Isabella. "Of course I do!"

The two girls started running towards the stage to do just that. But along the way, tragedy struck. Isabella appeared to trip over something, and she stumbled to the ground.

"Noooooo..."

Seeing her friendly rival going down, Adyson stopped running and went back to check on her.

"Isabella? Isabella, are you okay? Quick, someone get the medic! **MEDIC!**"

_Oh my goodness! In my rush to get an autograph, something's happened to me! Will I be alright? Allow me to answer that..._

_...in the next entry! See you then!_

**End Entry**

**Next Week: **What fate has befallen the leader of Troop 46231? Why suddenly are all the other members of the troop engaged in a power struggle? And why does Candace suddenly care about the Fireside Girls? Get the answers to all these questions in the next thrilling episode of the "Fireside Diaries!"


	47. New Leader?

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Last week, there was a cliffhanger involving Isabella. Is she okay? Well, prepare to find out in the second half of this two-parter!

Like the previous entry, the idea for this one also comes courtesy of PFStories17.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisite (i.e. read that first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #507 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 407)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #508 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_It's great for a troop leader to get to know your fellow members' mothers..._

"You're very lucky it wasn't much worse," Dr. Hirano said, as she finished making some notes on a clipboard.

Pan over to Isabella, who was lying in a hospital bed with a cast on her left leg that went all the way up to just below her knee. That leg was also elevated, in order to prevent her from putting any weight on it.

_...just not in this way. And not as often as I do._

"If you need anything, Isabella, you know how to reach me."

With that, Dr. Hirano left the room. A few seconds later, Adyson entered, and she had a concerned look on her face.

"Ginger told me the prognosis this morning," Adyson said as she pulled up a chair next to the bed so the two girls could talk. "You're gonna be on crutches for at least a month, girl!"

"I know," Isabella said, with a wry smile. "And all just because I wanted some silly autograph."

"Well, to be fair... it **WAS** Ariel Winter."

"Yeah. It was worth it."

Isabella pointed to a signed 8-by-10 glossy photo of the actress propped up against a flower vase on the nightstand next to her.

"But, Isabella... what are we gonna do about the troop? You can't lead in your condition!"

_And that's when it came to me. The one way the troop could continue going about its daily activities without me..._

**-  
>Entry #508 [FSD408] - New Leader? (07.29.13)<br>-**

The next day after school, the members of Troop 46231, minus Isabella, met at their secret clubhouse in the woods. The girls had been talking about what would happen to the troop with their great leader out of commission for a few weeks.

_A troop is nothing without a competent leader to guide them. Thus, there was only one way to proceed..._

Adyson banged a stick against the pot-bellied stove, which was the signal for everyone to be quiet. Once they had done so, she looked down at the open Fireside Girls' Handbook she was holding in her hands, which was open to a certain bylaw that she was intending to invoke.

"I have called this emergency meeting to discuss the next course of action for our troop after the horrible, terrible, gut-wrenching accident that has befallen our fearless leader!"

"Adyson!" Holly exclaimed. "You're making it sound like she passed away!"

"Well, she might as well have! She's gonna be out of action for several weeks! Therefore, with her permission, I'm invoking Article 2, Section Beta, Footnote 1."

Everyone gasped in shock.

"But we've never had to invoke **THAT** bylaw in this troop's history," Milly exclaimed. "Like, ever!"

"Wait!" cut in Katie. "What's Article 2, Section Beta, Footnote 1?"

"You don't know what it is! Why did you gasp then?"

"'Cause everyone else was doin' it!"

"This is no time to be cute," Adyson said to her. "Article 2, Section Beta, Footnote 1 states that in the instance that the troop leader cannot fulfill her duties due to injury, regardless of whether it occurred during a Fireside-sponsored activity or not, a temporary leader may take her place for a period totaling no more than 60 days, with the injured party's approval."

"So the question is," muttered Ginger, while giving Adyson the 'evil eye,' "whom do we appoint as the temporary troop leader in Isabella's absence?"

"As second-in-command, I, Adyson Sweetwater, nominate myself!"

"You're second-in-command?" queried Gretchen, a bit confused. "I always thought I was. And, not for nothing, but since me and the Chief are so close, perhaps, well, maybe... I nominate myself?"

Ginger scoffed. "If anyone's gonna be temporary leader, it's gonna be me. Isabella aside, I've gotten as many patches as the rest of you **COMBINED** the last three months."

Milly raised her hand so she could be allowed to interject. "May I remind you all that I still, to this day, have one more 'Help Thy Neighbor' Patch than everyone else? You know, 'cause I went back that one day after everybody went..."

"**WE KNOW!**" the others screeched at her.

"Hold on!" Holly exclaimed, motioning for Adyson to hand her the book.

Adyson complied, passing it to Holly. The pigtailed girl read Footnote 2 of Article 2, Section Beta out loud.

"'In the event that the leader has allowed the members of her troop to decide amongst themselves whom shall take up the temporary leadership position, those members must present at least one candidate with majority approval of her fellow girls for nomination.'"

"So?" queried Katie, unsure of what that meant.

"Let's put it this way... ahem... raise your hand if you're interested in becoming temporary troop leader."

Everyone in the room did, including Holly herself.

"Well, there goes any shot at getting a majority. Everyone's only going to vote for themselves."

Gretchen spoke up, as an idea had popped into her head.

"What if each of us comes up with a way to demonstrate why we'd be a good temporary leader?"

"That's a good idea, Gretchen," Adyson said in agreement. "Better than speeches and debates. Had enough of those back during the campaign."

"Wait!" objected Ginger. "Why does everything have to be a competition? Isn't a competition **WHY** we're in this mess in the first place?"

"You rather we just draw straws?" Holly cut in. "Thanks, but no thanks!"

"No!" Katie barked, siding with Holly. "Every time we draw straws, I always get the short end! Do you know who's had to take patch inventory in the storeroom every week for the past seven weeks? **ME!** And it takes hours! **HOURS!**"

"So competition it is," Gretchen declared. "We'll do it all Friday afternoon after school. Four days is enough time for everyone to come up with something, right?"

The others nodded.

"Alright then. Good luck, everyone!"

* * *

><p><em>Being troop leader, even on a temporary basis, is every Fireside Girl's dream. And I was pretty sure all the girls were spending every free minute of their time that week coming up with something good...<em>

Immediately after the meeting, Katie was seen breaking her piggy bank and using the money in it to buy mechanical parts for her plan. On Tuesday, Gretchen was seen chatting with Isabella on the phone, trying to farm for ideas. On Wednesday, Adyson was seen working her political connections to work out a deal with a local grocer. On Thursday, Holly and Ginger spent all afternoon in the school library, attempting to come up with something.

And on Friday after school, all the girls were seen heading downtown. All except for one...

* * *

><p>In front of the lodge...<p>

"Anybody seen Milly?"

Katie was asking the others where her best friend was. But she was the only member of the troop not present.

"Her loss," stated Ginger, relieved to have one less rival in her way.

Suddenly, the door to the lodge opened, and Isabella came out. Walking with crutches, she slowly made her way down the steps and to the girls, who were all by the flagpole.

"Okay, girls! Draw for order?"

Isabella pulled out a bunch of straws. Katie groaned.

* * *

><p>"I told you... <strong>I ALWAYS DRAW THE SHORT STRAW!<strong>"

Isabella coughed. "Katie... whenever you're ready, please."

Katie nodded and got on with it. She pulled out a whistle and blew it. The girls spun around and saw about half a dozen cats walk towards them.

"Come on, cats! Follow Katie!"

They slowly made their way over, and by slowly, well...

_As you know, we have a Senior-Service Patch which we give to a Fireside Girl who helps a certain number of senior citizens cross a busy intersection in a day. So Katie's idea is to do the same. But instead of using elderly people, she's using... elderly cats._

After a couple minutes of waiting - and some yawns of boredom from the other girls - the cats finally got to the street corner. And just as they did, the crosswalk signal turned in their favor. Katie led them across the intersection, holding up a stop sign to get drivers coming through to notice them.

_I get Katie's idea... if she can lead elderly cats safely across one of the busiest intersections in downtown Danville, then surely she can lead the Fireside Girls through any danger that might come their way._

The blonde girl skipped merrily all the way to the other side.

"Here we are! All safe and sound!"

She looked down, expecting all the cats to be at her feet. But when they were not, she turned back to the crosswalk... and saw that they were all only about halfway across. And the crossing signal had already changed to a solid 'do not walk' one.

_Unfortunately..._

"Cats! Hurry up, hurry up!"

Believing they were incapable of going any faster, Katie was about to run back into the crosswalk to retrieve them. Then, out of nowhere, someone driving a sportscar sped through the intersection. He was going so fast that he did not notice the cats, and just went through them.

"**KATIE!**" yelled Isabella, in shock.

Gretchen fainted immediately, only kept from hitting the ground by Adyson and Ginger, who caught her. Holly joined Isabella in staring at Katie in disbelief.

"**RELAX!**" Katie shouted from the other side of the street. "**THEY'RE ALL ANIMATRONIC!**"

As if on cue, one of the cats, or what was left of it, landed on the sidewalk next to the others. They could easily see what was left of the mechanical creature.

"Remind me never to put my life in her hands," Holly told Isabella.

Isabella nodded in agreement.

_...I don't think Katie's ready to be a leader. Temporary or otherwise._

* * *

><p><em>Perhaps Holly's a better choice?<em>

The girls were out in the open, all watching as Holly instructed a group of small kids how to build a sturdy raft.

"And you always want to make sure you double knot **EVERYTHING**," she told them.

_Her idea? To guide youngsters through a difficult task that required a lot of hard work, showing that she could be an effective leader in a time-consuming task._

Holly's charges constructed the raft exactly as they were told, and once they were done, they all climbed aboard. Holly pushed the raft into the river, and it floated as intended.

"**YES!** Good job, guys!"

The kids cheered with glee, while the girls, looking on from afar, had impressed smiles on her face. But things turned disastrous when the current caught a hold of the raft and started pulling it and its riders downstream.

"Help!" the kids shouted, panicked. "**HELP!**"

Holly started running down the shoreline, hoping to find a place to get to them.

_I think Holly should've taught them something else, though..._

"Paddle to me, guys!" she shouted at them. "Paddle!"

"Paddle? What's that?"

Before they knew it, though, the raft and all its occupants crashed into a giant rock. The raft broke apart on impact, and strangely, so did those on board. Gretchen, having just fully recovered from fainting the first time, did so once more. And again, Adyson and Ginger caught her.

"That's the last time I use robot kids," mumbled Holly, after seeing a disembodied animatronic head land in front of her feet.

Above her, Isabella was shaking her head in dismay. As for Katie?

"Remind me never to put my life in her hands."

Isabella gave Katie a 'Really?' look.

_Well, Holly needs a little more 'Foreseeing Perilous Events' training._

* * *

><p><em>I just hope Adyson doesn't think third time's the charm with animatronics...<em>

The gang was now in a grocery store. Gretchen, a little weary, slowly reached out to a little boy, trying to gently poke him in the cheek to see if he was real.

"**AAH!**" he screamed upon feeling Gretchen's finger against his cheek. "**I GOT COOTIES!**"

He then ran out of the store. Adyson frowned, having lost one of her five volunteers.

"Now that Gretch has proven my choice to use **LIVING** volunteers, allow me to show you a true demonstration of leadership!"

The girls and Adyson's group of kid volunteers watched as the brunette reached into a cart filled to the top with cans and cans of vegetables. Two at a time, she started stacking them onto a display platform. After a couple minutes, all were amazed as a grand pyramid developed before them. When all was said and done and Adyson dropped down from the top after placing the last can, the structure was more than two-and-a-half times her size.

"Cool!" all of the kids shouted with appreciation.

_Adyson's idea was to lead by example. And after that display, the kids were sure to be inspired!_

Sure enough, the other kids reached into a basket that was also filled with cans. They used those to build their own pyramids, only a whole lot smaller.

"I admit... that's impressive," stated Ginger, admiring Adyson's work.

"Looks like we've got a viable candidate," Isabella declared. "Good job, Addy!"

"Thanks!" Adyson replied in gratitude.

_But the key is to make sure inspiration doesn't run wild..._

Suddenly, Adyson felt a vibration from her pocket. She pulled out her phone and saw that she had gotten a text message from her parents.

"'Buy peas.' Sure!"

She pulled a can from her pyramid without thinking. At first, nothing happened as she put her phone away. It was not until she had realized what she had done that the structure completely collapsed, burying her alive and causing her friends to wince at the sight.

"Accident-prone Addy strikes again," stated Holly, bluntly.

"I'll go get the first aid kit," declared Katie, walking off.

Meanwhile, the kids were laughing at Adyson's act so much that they decided to try it themselves. They swatted, kicked, and dived into their pyramids, which, thankfully, were so small that their risk of getting injured from doing so was pretty much zero.

_...especially around impressionable kids._

Seconds later, Adyson emerged from the pile of cans. She spat out one can, which had ended up in her mouth, and then she gasped for air. Once she had composed herself, she turned to Isabella with a sheepish grin on her face.

"So... any chance you can ignore that little accident?"

Isabella responded by shaking her head.

_Sorry, Adyson. That's all on you._

* * *

><p>A little while later, they were back at the lodge. Everyone was gathered around the desk Isabella was using. She was not sitting there at the moment, though. Gretchen was. And she had a whole bin full of papers two feet tall in front of her.<p>

_Gretchen's proof of leadership was simple... and a necessity..._

Gretchen started working her way through the stack at a feverish pace. She read, signed, stamped, and placed each paper in the 'Done' box, all in less than a second. The others did not dare reach in, fearing they might lose a limb if they tried to help.

She got through the entire pile in just a tick over four minutes.

"Nice," complimented Holly.

"Nothing less than perfection from Gretchen," said Isabella with a smile.

Gretchen blushed. "Aw, it's nothin', Chief!"

_I've never seen anyone get through a week's worth of Fireside Girls' paperwork that fast. Well, except for me, of course. But Gretchen's a pretty close second..._

"Not to be a Debbie Downer," prefaced Ginger, "but..."

Ginger lifted up the box to eye level so that Gretchen could see the label on it.

"This is the 'Do Soon' box. Which is all well and good, but..."

She pointed to a table off to the side, where five 'Do Now' boxes were resting on, each with a stack as high as the one Gretchen had just gone through.

"...you should've done all those instead."

A cuckoo clock above the desk started sounding off to indicate it was five o'clock.

"Three-quarters of those had to be mailed today," Isabella stated aloud. "Sorry, Gretchen, but I'm afraid this won't do."

Gretchen had only one excuse for her blunder.

"I need to get my eyes checked."

_Well, Gretchen, you still get an A for effort._

* * *

><p><em>With Milly off who knows where, that only left Ginger in the race to impress me...<em>

The troop was hiding behind some topiaries lining the sidewalk near a restaurant about five blocks south of the lodge. And they all appeared to be spying on someone. Ginger especially, as she was using a pair of binoculars to spy on her target.

"Uh, Ginger?" Isabella queried while hunched down next to her. "What are we doing here?"

"I'm doing what you do best, Chief! Keeping an eye on the man I love!"

Isabella was confused, especially when she followed Ginger's line of sight and saw that the boy that Ginger was spying on was a teenager.

"You? Like him?"

Ginger shrugged. "Not really. But my sister's gone out with him a couple times, so by some measure this counts, right?"

"Uh..."

"You know I can't spy on you-know-who anymore, so I'm doing the next best thing."

Ginger resumed her spying, only to look just in time to see the dark-skinned boy hop into a car with a friend and drive off.

"Drat!" she exclaimed, snapping her fingers.

_I'm sure this is, like, the tenth time I've said this. But... Ginger worries me sometimes._

"There you are!" someone shouted from behind them.

Everyone turned around and saw Milly standing there. She had a smile on her face and a filled-out Patch Request form in hand.

"Where have you been?" Katie asked. "You missed all the fun!"

Milly let the form speak for her, as she handed it to Isabella. She took a few seconds to read it... and then she frowned after doing so.

"You went over to Phineas and Ferb's house?"

Milly nodded. "Yep! I figured that if I go there and get another Help Thy Neighbor Patch, then that means I'd have two more of those than everyone else! See? I'm taking initiative, just like a leader would!"

_She's not wrong. But... she's not right either._

"You girls don't like making things easy, do you?"

* * *

><p><em>After telling them I'd like to sleep on it before making a decision, it was no surprise that everyone was at the lodge bright and early the next morning for our normal weekly meeting. Not that it was going to be anything but normal.<em>

Isabella hobbled up to the podium to begin the meeting and saw all of the girls grinning in anticipation at her announcement.

"Well, let's just get right to it. First order of business... appointing my temporary replacement."

_I had planned to not build up suspense. I wanted to just come out and say the name._

"**WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE THERE, FIRESIDER GIRL!**" Candace barked, slamming the doors open and marching right to the podium.

_So much for that plan._

"As the eldest member of this troop, I ask, no, I **DEMAND** that you make me your new leader!"

"One, I'm surprised you even remembered you were a Fireside Girl. Two, you do realize this is only temporary, until I'm able to resume my duties as normal, right?"

"I dunno," Candace said, eyeing Isabella's cast. "That looks more than a temporary setback."

"Well..."

"And you do remember who holds the record for most patches earned in one day. Right?"

"Don't remind me," grumbled Adyson.

"And I saw all your friends here try to prove they're 'leadership material,' but, pfft, come on! Really? You're going to entrust the future of this troop to one of them?"

Isabella looked annoyed. "Were you spying on us? And how did you find out?"

"In her defense," interjected Ginger, "she **IS** best friends with my sister, and we have our no-secrets sibling talk on Thursdays! It was gonna get out, people!"

Isabella closed her eyes and thought for a minute.

_The troop needed a leader. And considering all of the facts and what had happened in the last 24 hours, there was only one decision I could make._

"My mind's made up. Congratulations... you're now the temporary leader of Fireside Girls Troop 46231!"

Isabella picked up the spare Troop Leader Patch she had placed on the podium, and handed it to her temporary replacement.

Candace Flynn.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>Bet you didn't see that coming did you? It'll be interesting to see how the troop fares with the new girl in charge! Will it be business as usual, or complete and utter chaos surrounding the busting of Phineas and Ferb? Stay tuned to find out!<p>

Also, thanks again to PFStories17, who came up with the idea of Isabella getting injured and having to appoint a temporary replacement. That plot point sets in motion the rest of this season's events... and, trust me, there's some big ones still to come!

**Next Week: **There may be a new leader of Troop 46231, but she quickly learns about all the duties and responsibilities that come with it. And even worse, she finds it keeps her from spending time with her boyfriend! See if she can deal with it in the next episode of the "Fireside Diaries!"


	48. Power Play, Part 1

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So another Fireside Girl takes point for her season's solo entry. Also, some loved (or hated) characters make their return this week! Lots to get to, so let's just get to it!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entries #400 &amp; 508 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 216 &amp; 408)<p>

* * *

><p>"<strong>MWA HA HA HA! MWA HA HA! MWA HA HA HA HA HA!<strong>"

Candace was laughing like a maniacal evildoer, with her arms raised up in the air.

"You **DO** know we're all right here, right?"

Isabella's voice brought Candace back to reality, as did the sight of all the other members of Troop 46231. The redhead coughed to clear her throat, then stepped up to the podium as Isabella took a seat with the rest of the girls.

"Alright, you Firefly Girls, listen up! First order of business: **BUSTING PHINEAS AND FERB!**"

Isabella gasped out loud. Even though Candace was now in charge, she could not let her commandeer her troop for such a purpose. Especially since it involved getting the love of her life in trouble. But before she could voice an objection...

...someone else did.

"That's all well and good," Adyson said, getting up out of her seat and making her way up to Candace, "but before you can even motion for such an act, there's a list of things you **MUST** do first!"

"Like?" Candace queried, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Adyson took a deep breath, then rattled out a list of duties.

"You have to fill out 'Change in Leadership' paperwork, sit through a two-hour 'Leadership Duties' training session online, get authorization to give out patches, be empowered to formally induct new members, given access to the worldwide Fireside Girls' membership database, learn how to do weekly reports of all of the activities our troop does, communicate with local businesses about how to assist them in their daily duties, finalize travel plans for the next Jamboree, get the troop signed up for next month's youth charity bowling tournament, pull taffy out of the water generator, put water into the taffy maker, **AND** set the feeding schedule for our unofficial troop mascots, Oscar and Milo!

Adyson pointed to a water-filled bowl in the corner of the room with two fish in it.

"They got too close to a fish hook," Adyson whispered to Candace.

Candace sighed, rolled her eyes, and groaned.

"Fine. **THEN** I can get you all to bust Phineas and Ferb?"

"Sure!"

Adyson snapped her fingers. Milly and Katie bolted out of the room. The two returned two seconds later pulling a cart with three stacks of paper.

"Once you fill out these forms in triplicate, that is."

"Oh, no, no, **NO!** I don't do triplicate. Or anything ending in -icate! Ugh, I'm outta here."

Candace handed the Troop Leader Patch to Adyson and then stormed out, slamming the front door shut behind her. Isabella slowly made her way over to Adyson.

"Wow, Addy, that was great!"

"It was nothing," Adyson said, smirking. "I knew that'd scare her off."

"I'm talking about all... that! How did you know all that?"

"I happened to be watching everything you did in this lodge for the past month. Pre-injury, of course. By the way, here's your Troop Leader Patch back."

Isabella smiled. "Keep it. 'Cause I think we just found our true temporary leader!"

The room erupted with applause and jubilation, as the other girls got up to go and congratulate Adyson.

_And just like that, I became the interim leader of Fireside Girls Troop 46231! And this... is my first entry since the appointment!_

**-  
>Entry #512-1 [FSD409] - Power Play, Part 1 (08.06.13)<br>-**

_Entry #512 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater, (interim) troop leader_

_I won't lie - and I'm not supposed to because it's against the Fireside Girls' code - but my life's gotten a whole lot more exciting since the second Candace handed the Troop Leader Patch to me..._

Isabella smiled as she observed Adyson lead the rest of the troop in helping successfully free a cat from underneath a fallen tree branch.

"That's it, girls! Altogether... **PULL!**"

Tugging the rope in unison, the girls managed to lift the large branch enough so that the cat could move out from under it herself. She ran into the waiting arms of her owner, who has happy to have her back safe and sound.

"Great job, everyone!"

"Thanks for saving Mittens!" said the boy, with gratitude. "You're all awesome!"

_...and it's not just because we had to rescue a few more animals this week than normal..._

* * *

><p><em>We helped paint over graffiti left on a wall outside a local nursing home...<em>

The girls were in the midst of applying paint when Katie accidentally brushes paint onto the back of Milly's shirt. Milly responded by brushing a line down the middle of Katie's face. Katie retaliated by picking up a half-full paint can and flinging the contents at her friend. Milly jumped out of the way, avoiding it all.

Unfortunately, Adyson, who had come over to tell them to stop horsing around, stepped into the line of fire and was subsequently splattered in paint from head to toe. At first, Adyson looked as if she was going to get mad, but instead, she just laughed it off... and Milly and Katie joined in as well.

* * *

><p><em>...we participated in a pie-eating contest for charity...<em>

Adyson was representing the troop and was blindfolded as she tried to eat from a foil tin that Holly was holding up close to her face. At one point, though, Holly got distracted by something. While looking away, she moved the closer to Adyson's face... at the same time she was leaning in to dig deeper in the tin. As a result, the brunette ended up getting pie on her face. Holly gasped as she let the tin fall into Adyson's lap, leaving what was left of the pie all over her friend.

* * *

><p><em>...and we helped Phineas and Ferb. Of course.<em>

Adyson was seen running screaming from the boys' yard. While trying to escape from something that had gone horribly wrong, she ran into Candace, who was coming in to bust her brothers. A few seconds later, the two were drenched by a dark cloud that rained hot sauce.

_Yeah... don't ask._

* * *

><p><em>But remember, I'm <em>_**STILL**__ class president, so I had to deal with things like serving my constituents' best interests..._

Adyson was talking at a parent-teacher association meeting, presenting an idea that was near and dear to her heart...

"...and that's why I move to immediately abolish tests on Mondays. Thank you."

The crowd applauded her after giving such an impassioned and heartfelt speech. She was about to take a bow when the fire sprinklers started going off for no reason. Particularly one right above Adyson, which drenched her in an instant.

"Also, I propose fixing the school sprinkler activation system. Just a thought."

* * *

><p><em>...keeping tabs on the enforcement of the school's new 'no bullying' policy...<em>

The next day, Adyson and a few school patrollers confront Buford, who had taken some poor boy's underwear and was hanging it from atop the flagpole in front of the school. He was ordered to do so, and he complied. Once it was down, he balled it up and handed it to one of the officers - who only then realized that it was his that had been plundered.

* * *

><p><em>...and abolishing the rope climb from gym class.<em>

A large rope hanging from the ceiling was cut down, and instantly Adyson was mobbed by grateful unathletic kids, who wanted to thank her. That, or keep her in place until a small group of older kids could dump a five-gallon container filled with lemonade on her from behind.

_Needless to say, I've spent this week more wet than dry._

* * *

><p><em>But given all this new responsibility, there's one thing I haven't been able to do...<em>

Baljeet walked up to Adyson's locker after school with a candy bar in hand and a flyer for a new candy store that was opening up today.

"Thanks, but no," Adyson said, rejecting it. "Big dinner with the girls tonight. All-you-can-eat pasta! Woo hoo!"

Adyson closed her locker and ran off, leaving behind a dejected Baljeet.

* * *

><p>Next day...<p>

Baljeet walked up to Adyson's locker after school with a rose in hand and a flyer for the reopening of the neighborhood park's playground today.

"Thanks, but no," Adyson said, rejecting it. "Class officers meeting. Revisiting the whole 'to change the mascot or not' debate. Might go all afternoon.

Adyson closed her locker and ran off, leaving behind a dejected Baljeet.

* * *

><p>Next, next day...<p>

Adyson walked up to Baljeet's locker with a word-a-day calendar in hand and a flyer for the new indoor rock climbing exhibit at the museum opening today.

"Seriously?" grumbled Baljeet. "Today's regionals!"

Baljeet closed his locker and stomped off with a 1000-page math book in hand, leaving behind a scoffing Adyson.

_...spend time with my boyfriend, Baljeet._

* * *

><p><em>It was rough going for a while, but after a few days, we managed to get together at a time that was convenient for the both of us.<em>

Adyson and Baljeet were sitting at a table outside the Olde Malt Shoppe. Adyson was sipping from her strawberry smoothie, while Baljeet was having a go at their new curry-flavored smoothie.

"This is not half that bad," Baljeet commented, licking his lips joyfully.

"Sorry about not being able to hang out," Adyson apologized. "Busy, busy, busy."

"Yes. You with being class president and interim troop leader; me with being book club president, youth yoga instructor, on the mathletes, and a bunch of other extracurricular activities. There is just no time for us anymore!"

"Oh, don't say that! I'll make time for you. Count on it!"

Baljeet smiled. He knew he could trust Adyson's word.

"Adyson, Adyson!"

Hearing her name being called, Adyson spun around in her seat. Django ran up to the table in a hurry, needing to tell her something.

"Django? What is it?"

"Why'd you leave right after school? Today was the day we got those fancy test model lockers! You need to come back to sign for them!"

"Wha? But can't you see..."

She bobbed her head over at Baljeet, trying to non-verbally tell Django that the two of them were out on a date.

"Can't someone else sign for them?"

"But..."

Before Adyson could shoo Django away, a second person ran up from the opposite direction. It was Holly, in uniform, and she was screaming for Adyson as well.

"Adyson! Adyson!"

"Holly? What's wrong?"

"What do you mean? It's Friday, girl, and there's still end-of-week forms you haven't filled out yet, remember?"

"Wha? But can't you see..."

Just like she had done for Django, Adyson bobbed her head at Baljeet to indicate what the two of them were currently doing.

"Can't someone else do it?"

"But..."

Adyson wanted to send Holly away, but then Django reminded her that he was still there.

"Adyson," Django told her, "you're needed at school right now!"

"Adyson," Holly shouted at her, "you're needed at the lodge right now!"

The two of them then shouted her name in unison.

"**ADYSON!**"

"Okay, okay!" Adyson exclaimed, finally giving in.

The brunette jumped out of her seat, ready to leave with Django and Holly. But before she did, she took a long, sad look at Baljeet. And at her half-finished strawberry smoothie. But mostly at Baljeet.

"Sorry, Baljeet! Promise I'll make it up to you."

"You do what you must do! Go."

"Thanks, Baljeet! You always understand!"

Adyson waved goodbye, and then headed off with Django and Holly. Once she was out of earshot, Baljeet let out an elongated, disappointed sigh.

"I just wish you would do what you must for me."

Baljeet spoke loud enough that his words reached a trio of boys in Riverside Rats uniforms, who happened to be standing a few tables away. They were about to get in line to purchase some smoothies, but they decided to delay that for the time being. They instead headed over to Baljeet's table. Without asking them, one of them plopped down in the chair Adyson had been sitting in, while the other two pulled up chairs from the next table over.

"Excuse us for intruding," stated the one that had taken Adyson's chair, "but we couldn't help but notice what just transpired between you and your girlfriend..."

_Ugh... the blond kid talking to Baljeet right now? You remember him, right? That's Taylor. He and his friends - Larry and The Chaz - once hijacked our blog and made up stories that I, Gretchen, and Isabella had fallen head-over-heels in love with them. They also participated in that rafting race we had, too. They're all members of the local Riverside Rats troop. I thought after that last incident that we had seen the last of them._

_We were apparently wrong._

"How did you know that Adyson is my..."

Baljeet paused, as the boys' faces started to look familiar to him.

"Wait. Have we met before?"

"Probably," replied Taylor. "Being Riverside Rats, we meet dozens and dozens of different people."

Larry and The Chaz nodded, having agreed beforehand to stay silent and let Taylor do all the talking.

"Oh." Baljeet nodded, accepting the faux explanation.

"Listen, dude. Having known Adyson for, uh, a good time now, I know when she's actually busy and just saying she is to get out of doing something. Like spending time with you, for instance."

"What? That is an impossibility! I know that since Adyson became temporary troop leader, she has had more eggs in her basket then she knows what to do with. But that does not mean she is trying to avoid me. She **MADE** time for me today!"

"Yes, but she also made those two friends come and get her."

"That is because she has duties and responsibilities to fulfill."

"No. That's because she wanted to not be out here with you, so she called them before coming here so that they could bail her out! Face it, man. She's a preteen just like the rest of her. You're just a fling to her. And she's already getting tired of you."

Baljeet gasped, believing every word Taylor was saying.

"No way. Why... why would she continue to lead me on then if she does not want to be with me anymore?"

Taylor got up and walked over to Baljeet. He leaned into him slightly, putting a reassuring arm around the Indian boy's shoulder.

"'Cause she doesn't want to hurt your feelings."

"So what should I do? I still like her!"

"Well, my friend, that's why I'm here!"

Taylor started whispering the plan into Baljeet's ear. After a few seconds, Baljeet's eyes perked up, as he loved what was being suggested to him.

_I'd tell Baljeet not to listen to anything Taylor says, but unfortunately, he can't hear me from the other side of a computer monitor. Sigh..._

_Too bad I wouldn't find out about what Taylor was up to until the next day..._

* * *

><p>18 hours later, at the lodge...<p>

"I think that's everything, so... meeting adjourned, girls!"

Adyson lightly tapped the gavel down on the podium, ending that week's Fireside Girls' meeting. The girls all gave Adyson a pat on the back for getting through her first meeting without incident. Most of them left immediately, off to earn some patches on their own. Adyson was ready to follow them out, but first she had to tidy things up...

...and answer her cell phone, which was currently ringing.

"Baljeet!" she exclaimed, answering happily after seeing his number on the display. "Just the boy I wanted to talk to!"

"Yes! Adyson! Hello!"

Adyson did not like the hesitant tone in her boyfriend's voice. "Baljeet? Is something the matter?"

"We... we n-n-n-need to t-t-t-talk."

Gretchen leaned in, with a to-do list and a schedule for the day in hand. Adyson took both papers and scanned them quickly.

"Let's see... how about..."

"8 p.m. Danville Links Mini Golf."

Adyson was taken aback. "8 p.m. tonight? But..."

"Adyson! Do you love me?"

"What? Of course I do! But..."

"If you love me, then you will make time for me! O-o-okay?"

Adyson looked uneasy. She still had plenty to do until late at night, but she knew if she kept blowing Baljeet off...

"Alright. But only 'cause it's you."

She heard Baljeet sigh with relief. "Thank you. You will not regret this! Goodbye!"

With that, Baljeet calmly hung up. Adyson lowered her phone from her ear and turned to Gretchen, who had a quizzical look on her face.

"Is everything okay?"

"I... think?"

_I knew something did not feel right at the time, but there was no backing out now. Besides, I owe Baljeet. It was the least I could do after walking out on our smoothie date yesterday._

* * *

><p>That night...<p>

After paying the entrance fee, Adyson entered the course grounds. She saw a bunch of people, most of them kids and preteens, congregating near the tee at the first hole. Baljeet was up, and Adyson smiled as he swung his putter. Baljeet's ball went bouncing off one barrier, off a second, and then rolled into the cup for a hole-in-one! The small crowd hollered in congratulations. Baljeet was mobbed with pats on the back and high-fives from several around him.

"Heh," giggled Adyson. "Baljeet did once say miniature golf was a mathematician's game."

She walked towards her boyfriend to congratulate him. Before she could reach him, though, another girl went up to Baljeet, hugging him and wrapping her arms around his waist. Adyson froze; her jaw dropped in shock.

_Whoa whoa __**WHOA**__! I knew Baljeet wasn't happy with me because we haven't been able to spend much time together lately. But was he really already at the point where he had already started dating another girl behind my back?_

_Come on!_

_Baljeet may be a boy, but he's not the typical kind. He's got brains! And he knows how upset I'd be if I saw him do something like this! Baljeet would never do this to any girl, much less me! There's gotta be more to this._

_There's just gotta!_

Adyson took a slow, deep breath, and then promptly exhaled. She regained her composure before completing her trip over to Baljeet.

"Baljeet!" she greeted. "Hi!"

"Adyson! T-t-t-this isn't what it looks like!"

_Already on the defensive. Typical Baljeet, or trying to save himself from ending up on the bad side of my smacking hand?_

Adyson smiled sweetly, squatting down to get at eye level with the cute girl that was clutching to Baljeet.

"And who are you, little one?"

The girl wrapped herself a little tighter around Baljeet, a little frightened of Adyson despite her friendly face.

"This is Cindy," Baljeet replied. "I found her in the parking lot."

"The parking lot?"

Adyson got up once more, curious to hear this story.

"Her parents accidentally forgot her, and she was scared for her life! I tried asking her if she knew her address or her phone number, but she wouldn't answer me! She's even shyer than me!"

"Oh, really?"

Adyson put her hands on her hips as she glanced down at the girl once more.

_Baljeet couldn't really be lying to me, could he?_

She reached over to try and pull Cindy off of Baljeet, but she just shuffled to the other side, staying as far away from Adyson as possible while still keeping a hold on Baljeet.

_If he is, then he got Cindy to play the part well. Then again..._

_...this isn't like the Baljeet I know. Something does __**NOT**__ add up here._

"Maybe we should call the police," Adyson suggested. "They can help find her parents."

"I would," Baljeet said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "but she refuses to release herself from me. Except for when it is her turn to play."

As if on cue, she let go of Baljeet, picked up a rented putter she had placed on the ground, and then she went to the tee. Placing down her yellow ball, she hit it, watching it go about ten feet. She then ran back to Baljeet and wrapped herself around him once more.

"And then she does this. See?"

Baljeet sighed, then walked over towards where Cindy's ball was so she could take her next shot.

"But I thought we were gonna talk!" Adyson exclaimed. "Or least have a make-up date!"

"We still can!" Baljeet told her. "We will just have a plus-one."

"But Baljeet! Threesomes are weird."

"Perhaps. Maybe we should attempt to find a fourth?"

_And guess who happened to appear at that exact moment? Oh, and no, there isn't a prize for being right._

"Hello again, my sweet!"

Adyson gasped as Taylor stepped out from behind the cardboard castle wall of the adjoining second-hole fairway.

"Taylor?"

**To be continued...**

**Next Week: **Adyson's in a tight spot as the boy she likes is being kept at bay by a girl three years her junior, while a boy who likes her is doing everything possible to woo her. Adyson's forced to make a tough decision about love on the course, on the next new episode of the "Fireside Diaries."


	49. Power Play, Part 2

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Adyson was not in a happy place when we last left her, as an unwanted admirer has reemerged to seek her love once more! Now it's time to see how she deals with him while simultaneously trying to save her actual boyfriend, Baljeet, from a clingy eight-year old!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entries #274 &amp; #512-1 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 208 &amp; 409)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Sorry about the cliffhanger! I had a hankering for some hot chocolate. Mmmm... that's good cocoa moo.<em>

_Anyway, where was I?_

"Hello again, my sweet!"

Adyson gasped as Taylor stepped out from behind the cardboard castle wall of the adjoining second-hole fairway.

_Oh, right. Ugh._

"Taylor?"

Taylor let out an obviously fake gasp. "You remember my name? That means we were destined to be together!"

He moved in to give Adyson a more-than-friendly hug, but she halted his advance by holding up her miniature golf club to keep him back.

"One more step, and I whack you into the next county!"

"Oh, don't be like that! Remember how you totally thanked me for helping you get down the mountain after you injured yourself snowboarding?"

Adyson replied with her best valley girl impression...

"Like, I totally, like, don't..."

...before switching back to a more gruff, annoyed voice.

"...because that didn't happen."

"Not according to the 24,000 views that entry's got."

_Note to self, or Isabella or Gretchen, whoever reads this first: Take Entry #274 down. For good this time._

"Oh, look!" Baljeet cut in, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Adyson. It is that boy you know from that one time..."

Adyson sighed. "I know, Baljeet. Look..."

_There was no way Taylor's appearance is a coincidence. I had to find out if Baljeet knew something about this, which, come on, he obviously did..._

But before Adyson could actually ask, Cindy pulled Baljeet's frail body to the ground, where she could protectively hug Baljeet by wrapping her arms over her face.

Feeling how hard the young girl was squeezing him, Baljeet felt prompted to speak up for the seemingly mute charge.

"Adyson, you are scaring Cindy."

"But Baljeet..."

Baljeet got back to his feet, pulling Cindy off of him long enough for him to do so... only for her to then latch back onto his leg.

"I know you two have, well, history..."

"You know I don't like history, right? It's my least favorite subject."

"...but for the sake of Cindy, could you try and get along with him for the time being?"

Adyson grumbled. "Fine."

Baljeet wanted to give his girlfriend a hug of gratitude, but once more, Cindy prevented them from sharing a moment of affection, as she gripped him so hard that he was unable to lift his clutched leg. Baljeet sighed in defeat, and then turned around to go help Cindy with her next shot... which she willingly let him do.

_At that point, I knew Baljeet __**DID**__ have something to do with Taylor being there. But I didn't yet know how, or why, or what part Cindy was playing in all this, if any. I had no choice but to play along to find out the whole truth..._

_...and that meant..._

Adyson turned around to face Taylor, who had a sly smile on his face.

_...tolerating Taylor for the next hour or so._

"So, it's a date?"

The brunette shot Taylor a brief, yet anger glare, before marching off towards the tee for the first hole.

"Oh, this is so a date!" Taylor thought aloud, deciding it on his own.

_So... is the hour up yet?_

**-  
>Entry #512-2 [FSD410] - Power Play, Part 2 (08.12.13)<br>-**

Hole 2...

Cindy was smiling with glee as she hit her ball, sending it rolling down the hill. Even though it passed by the hole to the right, she was still happy as she again grabbed a hold of Baljeet's leg so that he could continue riding him.

Back on the tee, Adyson was watching this from afar. And she was not pleased.

_I don't think Cindy likes Baljeet like I like him, but... I'm so jealous she's getting a ride from him and not me..._

_Wow. That sounds real petty. Plus, she's eight years old! Why am I jealous of her? Darn... I'm so glad no one else knows I'm feeling this way right now._

_Oh wait..._

Adyson shook those thoughts out of her head and focused on trying to make the best of her situation, as she concentrated on hitting her ball to get it up the banked hill in front of her.

She took a deep breath and then made her swing. But just moments after her putter made contact with the ball, she heard a clicking sound, and then a whirring sound. Adyson spun around, and to her dismay, she saw that Taylor had just taken a photo of her with his pocket-sized camera.

"Perfect!" Taylor exclaimed. "This is going in the Adyson Scrapbook for sure!"

"Adyson Scrapbook?!"

"Yes! Below that photo of you climbing that mountain and above that one of you napping on that bench that one time you fell asleep in the park!"

Adyson frowned. "Okay, that's just Irving-level creepy. Eew."

She took out her cell phone, intending to call or text her friends for help.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Taylor pointed out that there were numerous signs nailed everywhere that warned that anyone using a cell phone on the course was subject to immediate expulsion from the course with no refund.

_As much as I wanted out of there, I wasn't going to break a rule to do it. So I had no choice but to grin and bear it._

Adyson turned her phone off and put it back in her pocket, to the delight of Taylor.

"See? Now nothing can distract the two of us from having a good time. Me and my sweetheart..."

"You **DO** realize I could just walk out of here if I wanted, right?"

"Yes," he said, smirking as he walked past her and to the tee box, "but then you wouldn't have an entry for your blog, now would you?"

"You may think breaking the fourth wall is cute, Taylor. But it's noooot!"

* * *

><p>Hole 9...<p>

Taylor was at the tee box, lining up to shoot his ball into a small-scale replica of an Egyptian pyramid. But before he could take his shot, he wanted to make sure Adyson was watching.

"Adyson! Be amazed as I make a hole-in-one, just for you!"

Adyson looked on, even if she did not really care what Taylor did. That did not keep her from cracking a smile as Taylor hit his ball into the side of the pyramid entrance, bouncing back towards him.

"Wait! Do over!"

He grabbed his ball before it stopped, and put it back on the tee to make a second attempt. This time, he hit the other side of the entrance.

"Wait! Do over!"

Taylor kept trying and retrying to make a hole-in-one, or at least, get the ball into the pyramid and onto the green out the other side, but by this point Adyson decided she was tired of watching him fail miserably. Instead, she had better things to do... like talk to Baljeet.

"So, Baljeet, do you happen to know why Taylor, of all people, happened to show up tonight when we needed a fourth for our 'group?'"

"Taylor is helping me figure out why you have been avoiding me so much!"

"Don't lie to me, you know exactly why..." Adyson paused mid-sentence, realizing Baljeet had actually told her the truth. "Wait, what?"

"Taylor seems to think that you are avoiding me. And not because you are busy being class president or temporary troop leader, but because..."

"**A-HA! GOT IT!**"

Taylor pulled Adyson away from Baljeet and to the hole, where he pointed to his ball, which was now inside of it.

"See, told ya I could make a hole-in-one?"

Adyson rolled her eyes. "More like a hole-in-seven! There are no mulligans in mini-golf, Taylor."

"There can be as many as you want when you're playing, my sweetheart..."

"Even if I did want to take you up on your offer, can't you see I'm talking to my boyfri-"

Adyson saw that Baljeet had an uncomfortable look on his face, because Cindy was latched onto his other leg now, hindering him from going anywhere.

"Great," Adyson muttered sarcastically. "Just great."

_Despite Baljeet's honest confession, there was still something here that didn't add up. Like, what was Cindy's role in all this? And was she there the whole time I was chatting with Baljeet?_

Baljeet silently mouthed the words 'we'll talk later' to Adyson before hobbling towards the tee box with Cindy, who appeared to be chewing something in her mouth, in tow.

* * *

><p>Hole 12...<p>

"Darn it!"

Adyson had just watched her ball roll into a moat that separated the hole's fairway from the green. As she went over to see if her ball was still playable or if she would have to take a drop, Baljeet came alongside, looking to accompany her there.

"Adyson," he began, "Taylor told me that you are purposefully avoiding me because you do not like me as much as you may have."

"I'm not avoiding you because I don't like you," Adyson said in reply. "I'm not avoiding you at all, period!"

"But Taylor said..."

"Baljeet! I don't know if you've noticed, but Taylor's kinda got a thing for me."

"**WHAT?**"

Baljeet was genuinely stunned by that statement as Adyson spotted her ball, which was just barely submerged, and she prepared to play it where it lied.

"Why else do you think he's been trying to impress me all night?"

She sat down on the ground so that she could remove her left sock, taking off and putting back on her left shoe to do so.

"He wants to impress **YOU**? And you are letting him?"

Adyson stood up again and put her left foot in the water, getting ready to chip her ball out of the water with her putter. "I'm not letting Taylor do anything!"

"Did someone mention me?" Taylor asked, appearing between the two of them.

Taylor's sudden appearance spooked Adyson so much that not only did she swing and miss her ball, but her momentum swept off her feet, sending her falling into the moat. Baljeet cringed as he saw his girlfriend sitting waist-deep in water, and very unhappy.

"Adyson! I will help you!"

Baljeet started moving towards the moat, but he was stopped after taking two steps. That was because Cindy had reappeared; she was once more clutching tightly onto the Indian boy's leg. Seeing an opportunity, Taylor decided to extend an arm to help out the girl of his dreams.

But seeing as he was the reason she was in the water, Adyson wanted no part of his chivalry, as she batted his hand away.

"Thanks, but no thanks."

Adyson got out, as water dripped from her pants. As she tried to figure out how to dry herself off before she caught a cold, she could not help but shoot a look at Cindy. But not one of jealousy or anger. It was one of suspicion.

_Hold on. Where was Cindy during that whole exchange?_

Adyson seemed particularly intrigued in the chocolate chip cookie the younger girl had in hand, nibbling at it every few seconds.

* * *

><p>Hole 18...<p>

Taylor was setting up to putt at the course's most famous hole, which involved hitting the ball up into a clown's mouth by way of his tongue. Somewhere built into the structure behind the clown's head was the final hole, and if you were lucky enough to have your ball find it and go in, you would win a free game. But for most people, it was essentially the place to return your ball at the end of the game.

"Just need to get it in," Taylor muttered to himself as he tried to concentrate. "Get it in..."

But Baljeet and Adyson, who had changed into a spare pair of pants that she happened to have on her, were too busy having a talk to watch Taylor's shot.

"To reiterate," Adyson told Baljeet, "I'm not letting him do anything!"

"And yet," Baljeet fired back, "here you are, letting him be your playing partner!"

"Well, whose fault is that? I'm not the one who's using an eight-year old for a leg weight!"

"Well, I cannot help that she refuses to detach herself from my person! Plus, she is a person in need, and it is my duty as a responsible young boy to help a girl when she needs assistance!"

"Why don't you help **THIS** girl in need?" Adyson pointed at herself. "Hello! Riverside boy over there is trying to win me over and, as my boyfriend, you should be doing something to stop him!"

"I **WOULD** if you cared enough to make time for **ME** in your schedule!"

"You **MADE** me make time for you today! But you go and get yourself hitched to a third-grader who... is... not currently hitched to you?"

At that point, the two of them realized Cindy was nowhere to be seen. Yet they could hear her nearby.

"Candy!"

Adyson and Baljeet looked at each other. "Candy?"

The two peered behind some bushes, and there they found Cindy, who was in the process of being handed a giant lollipop by Taylor's troop mates, The Chaz and Larry. Being caught in the act, The Chaz did what does best...

"The Chaz was never here. You will forget The Chaz was ever here."

"Riiiight," Adyson said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Hold that thought."

Adyson walked back over to her unwanted admirer.

"Taylor!"

Hearing Adyson's voice made Taylor's head pop up. Unfortunately, he was already mid-swing, so his putter made contact with the ball. It went up the side of the tongue, and although it just made it inside the clown's mouth, there was no way the ball was going to reach the hole with that shot.

"Adyson! You know I was trying to win that free game so you and I could hang out for a little while longer, right?"

"Forget it. You're busted."

Adyson pointed out Taylor's co-conspirators, who were standing behind the bush.

"Well, uh..." Taylor tugged at the collar of his shirt nervously.

"I'll deal with you in a second. But first..."

Adyson walked up to Baljeet, gently grabbed a hold of his hands with hers, and looked into his eyes.

"Baljeet, you're sweet, smart, and funny. Sometimes. But tonight, I realized something."

_Surprisingly, so did Baljeet._

"Me too, even though you are cute, strong-willed, and funny **ALL** the time."

The two of them took a deep breath, then said the exact same thing.

"This was fun, but I think we should break up."

The two gasped.

"Wait. We are agreeing to break up?"

They gasped again. Taylor rolled his eyes in the background.

"We just are too busy with other things in our lives to seriously commit to dating to the best of our abilities."

Baljeet stopped the awkwardness of their separation by adding...

"Jinx! You owe me a beverage. Preferably of the non-carbonated kind."

"Alright," Adyson agreed. "But only 'cause we're friends."

Baljeet nodded. "So. I guess this is the end?"

"Yeah. I suppose it is. For now."

They stood there silently for a minute, staring at each other. Since they had broken it off at the exact same time, neither of them knew who was supposed to walk away first. Baljeet eventually decided that it should be him, and he did so, leaving Adyson behind.

_I can't believe it. Just like that. My first relationship._

_It's over._

"Big bro? What's happening?"

Speaking for the first time that night, Cindy looked over at Taylor, who happened to be her older brother.

"Did... did I do a bad thing?"

Taylor did not respond. He instead motioned for his friends to take Cindy outside for a moment. They complied without a word, leaving Taylor and Adyson alone at the 18th hole.

"If your plan was to have Baljeet and I break up," Adyson grumbled, with her back to Taylor, "then congratulations. I hope you're happy."

With that, Adyson turned to leave. But, not wanting the night to end that way, Taylor grabbed her by the hand and stopped her.

"Wait! Adyson, look, I'm sorry about tonight. But, hey, you admitted it wasn't going to work out. It's for the best, right?"

Adyson looked at Taylor and flashed a weak smile.

_Huh. Even Taylor has moments when I'm proud he represents the Riverside Rats._

"So, since you now have a hole in your schedule... wanna go out tomorrow?"

_Too bad they last no more than a few seconds._

Adyson glared, forcefully removed her hand from Taylor's grasp, and walked away.

"Call me! You have my number, right? Call me!"

* * *

><p>"<strong>ADDY!<strong>"

Adyson looked up after walking out the course's main entrance, and was surprised to see Isabella making her way towards her, on crutches.

"Izzy! You know you're supposed to staying off your leg as much as possible. What are you even doing here?"

"I've been trying to call you all night!"

Adyson pulled her cell phone out, remembering that she had to turn it off. "Oh."

"What happened? Is everything alright? Gretchen told me you were here with Baljeet."

"He... was here."

Adyson had a sad look on her face. Isabella easily figured out what had happened without her friend saying another word.

"**NO!** You... you two broke up?"

Adyson nodded.

"Do... do you wanna talk about it? I've got a tub of ice cream with your name on it!"

"Don't know about that tub. But a talk sounds good."

Adyson helped Isabella back to the latter's station wagon, after she had gotten her mom to drive her down there.

* * *

><p>The next night, at Adyson's house, in her bedroom...<p>

_It's kinda sad to have to break up with your first love. But I guess I'm okay with it. Baljeet and I couldn't make it work, and it was best that we separated before we got too far along._

Adyson sat back in her chair as she looked at her computer screen, reading over what she had just typed. After doing so, she added some more.

_Now that I think about it, did we actually get anywhere? I mean, we went on a few dates over the months that we were together..._

Adyson glanced at the framed photos on her desk. As she looked at them, she noticed one glaring omission...

_...but, for some reason, Baljeet and I never took a photo together. Just the two of us. Ever._

Sure enough, there were a couple photos where she and Baljeet were standing next to each other, but there were other people in those pictures as well. There was not a single one that had just the two of them in it.

_Maybe it's a sign that it was never meant to be._

_That probably also explains why I'm not that upset about this._

Adyson picked up a Taylor Swift CD case that was on her desk. Taped to it was a sticky note on which she had written the words 'Do Not Open 'til First Break-Up.' Adyson smiled as then opened a drawer and put it in.

_And I'm sure Baljeet isn't._

She went back to her entry, added a few last words, saved it, and then sent it to Gretchen to be posted the next day. She then exhaled in relief before getting up and walking to her window, in order to stare out at the night sky.

_If there's one thing I learned throughout this whole experience, it's that maybe I'm a bit young to be in love. Who can say, really? It might be a few years before I try dating again, though. I'm not like Isabella. I haven't met the boy of my dreams yet. Or maybe I have, and I'm just too blind to realize who it is. Despite tonight, it might still be Baljeet, even if it takes us maturing a couple years before we try picking up where we left off. Or it could be someone else._

_Regardless, when it all comes down to it, I have no time for love right now. Not with everything on my plate this coming week. So I guess I'm out of the dating scene for the time being. No matter if certain people want me to stay in it._

_With that, I'm signing off. Good night, all!_

Adyson walked away from the window. A few seconds later, she turned off the lights in her room and went to bed, turning in for the night.

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:  
><strong>And with that, we bid adieu to the Adyson-Baljeet pairing. Ever since I decided to have them start dating last season, I knew that it was not going to be a permanent coupling, like Isabella and Phineas. Even when we had the vote at the end of last season, this break up was going to happen at some point. I'm happy that the vote worked out so they could go out on my terms, where it's mutual and neither party is harmed to the point where this could be written off as anything more a simple grade school crush.

Now, this entry ends with Adyson saying she's not going to go back to dating right away. But we don't know about Baljeet, do we? Will we ever find out? He's not a Fireside Girl, after all, so it's not like we'll learn about it somewhere down the line in this series. Right?

**Next Week: **She's a little late to the party, but Candace has a story to tell. It involves her being chosen to lead a ragtag bunch of girls-next-door, who have only one purpose in life: to stop an evil dictator. An alternate universe tale awaits you in the next episode of the "Fireside Diaries."


	50. The Resistance

**"Fireside Diaries"**  
><strong>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So, apologies for the unexpected week off. I just got really busy and didn't have any time to write. Luckily, it was only a week off, and if it gave you a few extra days to prepare for this!

What is 'this,' you may be wondering? Well, remember 'Final Fantasy Month' from last season? Let's just say this is a belated last-minute entry which didn't see the light of day.

Until now.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

* * *

><p><em>Entry #419 - Written by Candace Flynn<em>

_Gather 'round, pipsqueaks and you... others. You want a story? Candace Flynn'll give you a story!_

_Ahem... in a parallel universe, somewhere not anywhere near us..._

"Show your papers or be destroyed!" barked a menacing, hovering robot.

Suddenly, the mechanical monstrosity lost its head, as it was whacked off by someone wielding a bo staff. Upon landing on the ground, the robot head lowered its mask, revealing the face of a man.

A man named Norm.

"I have the feeling we are not tea buddies," he stated sadly, before shutting down for good.

All around the junkyard, a number of other Norm Bots were being harshly dismantled, sending wires and circuitry flying every which way.

_...there was a Resistance taking place, as a melancholy band of kids fought to free the Tri-State Area from an evil dictator._

The kids were a group of eight, all girls with the exception of one big-boned boy with a mohawk. They were methodically taking down a sea of Norm Bots a few at a time, using an assortment of weapons, rope tricks, and in the boy's case, pure muscle.

_The leader of this troop?_

A Norm Bot's head slid off as his attacker had kicked him to the ground and was now straddling him. The pale-skinned girl had jet black hair; she was wearing a uniform of gray and dark green coloring. And she had a catchphrase that would send shivers down any man's backbone.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked him rhetorically, in a stern, cold voice.

_Isabella Garcia-Shapiro._

**-**  
><strong>Entry #419 [FSD411] - The Resistance (08.26.13)<strong>  
><strong>-<strong>

_Truth be told, though, this doesn't make sense unless I start back at the beginning. Especially when you see that Isabella was not the hard-nosed kicker of bot behind that you just saw. Not that she had to be before._

_Or any of us, for that matter._

"I give you **THE AMAZING BAGGO**!"

_It all started on that day Phineas and Ferb set up a cirque in the backyard..._

Candace, who was wearing sweats and had a paper bag over her head - to cover up her red face after coming in contact with wild parsnips - was guided against her will onto a catapult.

"Guys, cut it out!" she shouted, in a deep, manly voice. "Let go!"

Before she knew it, though, not only was she on the catapult, but she was launched out of it just as quickly. Candace screamed as she tore through the fabric of the tent, flying high into the air.

"Hmm," Phineas murmured. "He must have been lighter than we calculated."

Buford, who was the one to be launched, saw an opportunity to still take credit for his stunt. He made a break for the mud pit. Before he could get there, though, dozens and dozens of Norm Bots stormed into the cirque tent. They surrounded both performers and onlookers alike.

"I don't remember anything about robots," Phineas thought aloud, before glancing over at his brother. "Ferb?"

Ferb shook his head in denial. Meanwhile, one of the Norm Bots stopped at center ring. A large monitor popped out of his chest, from a pair of swinging doors. It turned on automatically, and an evil face appeared on it.

"Hello, citizens of the Tri-State Area! I am your new ruler, Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz! Surrender or be destroyed!"

Everyone in the crowd started to murmur, particularly the adults, who did not whether to take the threat serious or not. But their question was answered when the other Norm Bots put their masks down and started shooting up the tent with laser shooters embedded in their wrists.

"Return to your homes or be destroyed!"

Mass panic erupted as everyone scrambled out of the tent as fast as they could. Good thing, too, because it collapsed shortly thereafter, coming down on those not quick enough to escape. Those lucky enough to get out of the yard and onto the street were greeted by a line of even more Norm Bots, who were standing in front of a series of transporter helicopters.

"Conform or be doomed!" they all exclaimed.

They started rounding up people at random, pushing them into the nearest available copter. They did not discriminate, taking whomever they could get their hands on, whether it be man, woman, or child. While everyone attempted to escape the herding, back in the yard, there was a small group not willing to just let these evil automatons walk over them.

"Girls, let's show them what we're made of!" Isabella shouted to the members of her troop.

Before they could give an affirmation, one of the Norm Bots fired at them. Luckily, he missed hitting any of them, but the laser ended up leaving a black scorched circle on the ground, more than a foot in diameter.

"You crazy, girl!" exclaimed Holly.

Ginger also voiced her change of mind. "Ginger is out! Peace!"

The girls all ran for their lives, leaving their leader behind. Isabella was about to follow them, but instead, she saw Phineas on the inside of his house's sliding glass door, trying to hold it closed as one of the Norm Bots was attempting to pull it open.

"**PHINEAS!**"

She took a step towards her crush, but was prevented by someone grabbing her arm, pulling her in the opposite direction.

"**ISA!**"

"**MOM?**"

"We have to get out of here!"

Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro tugged her daughter out of the Flynn-Fletcher backyard and across the street, all the way back to their house.

_Despite her own daughter's cries to go back, Isabella's mother was only concerned at the moment of the safety of one person… Isabella._

_But that safety would not last long._

Seconds after they had gotten in and closed the door behind them, a Norm Bot slammed its way in, breaking the door off of its hinges. Joined by two of his brethren, they cornered Isabella and her mom before they could find an escape route.

* * *

><p>The many citizens of Danville were all marched downtown to City Hall, where they were assembled to meet their new dictator face-to-face, who was walking up to the podium just as the last few stragglers were herded in.<p>

_That is Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the evil man now in charge of everything the citizens of Danville would do for the rest of their lives. And all because he lost his toy train as a child._

_Or so the story goes… but that's a tale for another day._

Doofenshmirtz unfurled a long scroll listing all of the new laws he was putting into place, effective immediately. He quickly went through them, while his army passed out condensed packets to the crowd, as well as Dooferalls - the outfits all were now required to wear.

"And the last, but most important rule of all," Doofenshmirtz proclaimed, reaching the end of the document, "disobey even one rule, and **THIS** happens!"

A large monitor came to life behind him, showing a man in chains. He was being led to a rectangular cage, where a hairy creature was being poked and prodded by a couple Norm Bots into a state of anger.

That is a Goozim. Doofenshmirtz imported the foul beasts from Tanzania or some other Pacific island… go look it up!

Already seeing his life flash before his eyes, the man begged for mercy.

"Please! I have a wife and kids!"

"Oh, you mean them?" shot back the malevolent one.

The camera panned to show that the man was chained to his wife and his two kids: one boy and one girl. He was both surprised and dismayed to see them. But the crowd watching at City Hall would be even more distraught as their demise was broadcasted live for all of them to see. Ear-piercing screams filled the air, and adults tried their best to shield their children's eyes and ears. Only after the last of the family members had been devoured by the Goozim did the feed come to a halt.

"Alright, enough dawdling! Curfew is in 30 minutes. Anyone caught out after that tonight is the Goozim's dinner! Now **SCAT**!"

* * *

><p><em>From that day forward, you were only allowed out of your house if you had received work authorization or had special permission from Doofenshmirtz himself to leave your house.<em>

Isabella sighed with sadness as she stared out the window, at the falling rain.

_But things only got worse from there…_

She plopped down on her bed and grabbed her cell phone off of her nightstand. She attempted to call Phineas, but she could not find a signal. A second look out her window showed why…

_Doofenshmirtz ordered the taking down of phone lines and cell towers…_

After seeing a Norm Bot take down a tower, Isabella went over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of binoculars from the top drawer. Heading back to the window, she used them to look across the street and at the window to Phineas' room. To her delight, not only did she see him standing there, but he had gotten the same idea, and was peering over at her.

_...and then he ordered the confiscation of any spy materials…_

A Norm Bot appeared suddenly in front of Isabella's window, scaring her off her feet. As she got up and opened the window, the robot prompted her to turn over any spy gear. Isabella handed over the binoculars, as well as a telescope, a microscope, a magnifying glass, an eclipse viewer, three used-up paper towel rolls, and a canary that she happened to be petsitting for a friend.

The Norm Bot flew off with all of Isabella's stuff, and whilst looking back over at the Flynn-Fletcher house, she saw that all of Phineas and Ferb's stuff was being taken as well. Even sadder than she was before, Isabella gave up trying to talk to Phineas and just closed her window.

* * *

><p><em>Eventually, out of fear like so many of Danville's other residents, Isabella took shelter in the basement with her family.<em>

Isabella, now dressed in the dooferalls, was huddled around the space heater in the basement with her family. Her loved ones, all fearing for their lives, were frightened to move from their spot except to go to work or pick up their weekly food allowances from City Hall.

_Isabella was ready to join them; ready to live out the rest of her life like this, with no hope of ever seeing the sun again. Or talking to any of her friends._

_Or eloping with the boy of her dreams._

* * *

><p><em>And then one day…<em>

Isabella, who was outside for once thanks to her mom getting permission for her to come along on the weekly trip to City Hall, seemed timid and out of place after being out there for the first time in more than a month. Having gotten unused to the normal sounds of everyday life - well, what passed for it now in such a dark and dank city - she at first did not think anything strange of hearing a girl her age screaming nearby.

"Help!"

Nor did she the second time.

"**HELP!**"

But the third time?

"**HELLLLLLLLLP!**"

Springing into action, Isabella left her mother's side and ran towards the cries for help.

"**ISA!**" her mom shouted, more frightened than angry.

A few seconds later, Isabella found who the source was.

"Gretchen. I've… I've got to save her!"

Her glasses-wearing friend was being carried into the back of a black van, which was hovering just inches off of the ground. Jumping in after them, she quickly climbed up the back of the closest Norm Bot. Before he could react, Isabella grabbed the mechanical being by the head and slammed it into the side of the vehicle as hard as she could.

"That wasn't very nice," he said, before slumping down to the ground, his program freezing up after the hard hit.

Isabella quickly turned to the second, who had pulled Gretchen's glasses off of her face, and snatched them back in an instant. She then kicked the bot into a third one, who was standing above Gretchen with an eye laser surgery machine already positioned over her face.

"**COME ON!**" Isabella yelled.

Gretchen had been frozen in fear over what was going to happen to her, but hearing Isabella's voice snapped her back to reality. She hopped off of the table she had been dropped on and let Isabella lead her out of the van.

"I never thought I'd see or hear from you again, Chief!"

"Never say never, Gretchen!"

Isabella then handed Gretchen her glasses back, which she took and put them on. They joined back up with Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro, and the trio hurried home.

* * *

><p>Once back home, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.<p>

"Isa!" her mother scolded her daughter after they were in. "What were you thinking? You could've gotten all of us sent to the Chupacabra!"

"Pretty sure it's called a Goozim, Mom."

"Aye aye aye. Now we have to figure out how to get your friend home."

"No worries! I got it!"

Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro sighed in relief. "Good. I'm gonna go back downstairs, si?"

With that, she headed back to the basement.

"Thanks again, Chief," Gretchen repeated herself. "Eye surgery from untrained professionals even though you-know-who is outlawing glasses? Not the safest thing in the world."

"I can't believe this!" Isabella exclaimed in exasperation. "Doofenshmirtz has gone too far! I've got to do something about this!"

"But what?"

Isabella thought for a second. Then, an idea came to her.

"Remember when I convinced Mom to get a permit to build an underground shelter underneath the house?"

Gretchen nodded. Isabella smirked in determination.

"I know what we're doing today. And tomorrow. And for the foreseeable future… you get where I'm going with this, just roll the montage!"

* * *

><p><em>And just like that, Isabella went to work…<em>

Isabella started training. She self-taught herself how to make smoke bombs, use rhythmic gymnastics equipment as weapons, and survive being stuck in a freezer for 24 hours. Because training in adverse weather conditions made one stronger, apparently.

She also ended up building her own Norm Bot, or rather, a facsimile of one. With Gretchen's help, they learned the intricacies of Doofenshmirtz's automatons and how to render them inoperable in mere seconds. Once she felt she had trained herself enough to stand up to the dictator's army on her own, she then sought out help. Because as strong as she was, the enemy was too large for one to take out on her own.

Isabella started with Gretchen, and then moved on to the other members of her troop, each of whom she had to locate and convince to join the cause. One by one they signed on; each of them showing their loyalty to Isabella, as well as their want to one day return things to the way they were. Even if by force.

* * *

><p>And three weeks later…<p>

The lights came on inside the underground chamber underneath Isabella's house. Isabella walked up to her newly reunited troop, all lined up in one single row. They were all dressed in their new uniforms, which consisted of dark green berets, silver shirts, and dark brown pants. They also had on utility sashes, which were filled with small paper- and fabric-based weapons to use on the forces of the evil Doofenshmirtz.

"Well, ladies," Isabella said to them, "today's the day we show Doofenshmirtz that he just can't have his way with us, making us follow every law he makes up on a whim at the threat of becoming a furry creature's dinner! Today, we are no longer Fireside Girls. From this day forward, we are Firestorm Girls!"

The troop responded to their leader's declaration by snapping to attention and saluting her, all in one swift motion.

"Uh, hello? Not a girl here!"

All eyes shifted to the end of the line, and were shocked to see Buford standing there, next to Katie. All except for Isabella, that is.

"Buford! What are you doing here? And how did you get in here?"

"What? It's a free country!"

"Um, no it's not! That's why we're resisting."

Buford hopped up excitedly. "Ooh, ooh! I love resisting! Can I join?"

"One, you're not a girl. Two, you don't have a uniform."

"I'm not being no girl! And I don't need no stinkin' uniform! See? I resist **EVERYTHING**!"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"Oh…"

Buford then pulled in Baljeet out of nowhere.

"You gotta let Baljeet in too."

Baljeet coughed. "Ahem. That's Doctor Baljeet to you. And pretty much everyone else… I have a PhD."

"That could be useful," Isabella thought out loud. "Okay, he's in too."

"What about me?"

Someone else walked into the underground lair, and they all turn towards her…

_As great as Isabella is, her group's chances of taking down Doofenshmirtz by themselves were slim to none. That's why they needed…_

_Me._

Candace stepped into the light, dressed in a midriff-baring turtleneck, skirt, and knee-high boots, all black. She had sunglasses on, as well as a bandana to cover the top of her head, and had a utility belt tied around her waist.

"Aren't you Candace Flynn?" Isabella queried. "Phineas and Ferb's sister, right?"

"No time for simple questions," Candace replied, in a business-like tone. "I've seen what you and your melancholy band of girls have been doing…"

"Hello?" interrupted Buford. "What do I look like, chopped liver? I was there too!"

Ignoring Buford, Candace continued on. "...and you all are in so much trouble."

Everyone gasped in shock.

"Trouble? Are… are you working for Doofenshmirtz?"

"Pfft. Of course not. I'm the leader of the Resistance. We're a small group of concerned citizens who oppose Doofenshmirtz and are working to take him down, down, **DOWN**."

"Whatcha want with us?" asked Isabella, her tone of voice now one of apprehension.

"For you and your team to join us. We've been looking for a field unit to complement our underground saboteurs, who've pretty much done nothing but disable a random Norm Bot here and there or spike Doofenshmirtz's morning coffee delivery."

Candace pulled out a photo showing a snail, who happened to be named Spike, swimming in a styrofoam cup full of coffee meant for delivery for the evil dictator.

"Are you **IN**?"

Isabella did not need a second to debate the offer in her head. The two shook hands firmly, sealing their new partnership.

* * *

><p><em>The Fireside, or rather, Firestorm Girls were pretty strong in their own right. But under Candace's tutelage, they took it to another level.<em>

Back in the opening scene, the team was seen finishing up their rush through what was no less than a half-dozen Norm Bot squadrons. As the last robot head fell to the ground, the girls started doing they had not done in months.

Show emotion, as they started high-fiving each other with glee after having taken down their largest enemy group by far.

"Belay that celebration," Candace ordered, as she stood firmly on a hill of robot parts. "We've got company."

Doofenshmirtz walked into the junkyard, backed up by at least another half-dozen squadrons of Norm Bots.

"You've worked my very last nerve, rebels!" he exclaimed, in anger. "Forget the dungeon or dooming you to the Goozim… tonight, it ends!"

Candace slid down the hill upright, and started walking towards Doofenshmirtz. Isabella came up alongside her, and the two approached the evil dictator together.

"Orders, sir?" Isabella asked.

Candace stopped just long enough to pull out a staff and assume a battle position.

"Handle the Norms. Doof… is mine."

Upon hearing that, Doofenshmirtz ordered his Norm Bots to attack. The two girls ran towards the evil dictator, with Isabella taking point and clearing a path, destroying any bot trying to get them. When they were close enough, Isabella stopped to give Candace a boost, allowing her superior to hurdle over the last line of bots and go directly for Doofenshmirtz himself.

"Oh, no you don't!"

Doofenshmirtz picked up a lead pipe sticking out of a nearby junkpile, and used it to defend himself against Candace. The two engaged in what was basically a swordfight, trading blocks, parries, and swift dodges.

"Ah! We are evenly matched!" Doofenshmirtz stated aloud. "Except for one thing…"

He attempted to play dirty, signaling for two nearby Norm Bots to ambush Candace. But she had no reason to be concerned. Not with Isabella watching her back with well-constructed traps.

"Heh," snickered Candace as she heard Isabella easily dispose of the two Norms. "You're so busted, Doofenshmirtz!"

Stunned by the failure of his tactic, Candace took advantage and started landing hits on the evil man, hitting him in the stomach, the side, the leg, and the head. She continued to attack relentlessly, wanting him to physically feel all the pain he had inflicted on all of Danville…

_Candace kept swinging away, wanting to show Doofenshmirtz who's the boss. A left, a right, one to the midsection, a couple to the back of the legs, and, and, and…_

* * *

><p>"<strong>CANDACE!<strong>"

Isabella was sitting at her desk, looking over at the teenager. She had in hand the hard copy of Candace's entry, which she had been reading.

"What?" Candace said in response to the displeased look on Isabella's face. "It's fantasy! You said you were open to anything! **ANYTHING!**"

Isabella was not happy, but Candace was right. While flashing a frown, she handed off the pages to Gretchen, who went to enter it in the diary.

"You mean… you'll allow it?"

"Meh. I've seen worse."

"So, I'll get to finish it?"

"As long as I'm troop leader? Ha… no."

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>So, if you hadn't guessed, this is a story involving Second Dimension characters. But if all of the cast members' memories were wiped, where did Candace get the idea for this from? Hmmmm…<p>

Also, kudos to my good friend Spongey444 for suggesting a Second Dimension story. This qualifies, right?

**Next Week:** Good day to you all. If you think Isabella's troop is the only one allowed to make a blog, then you are sadly misguided. I, Elizabeth, will regale you with a tale revolving around the adventures of Troop 28933, the best Fireside Girls troop in the world! All on the next "Fireside Diaries!"


	51. Case of the Cancelled Cupcakes

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

So in the past, we've seen entries from all the members of Isabella's troop, from a part-timer, and from kids whom are neither part of the Firesides or are girls. But we've never had a Fireside Girl from a different troop write an entry for the blog.

Until now.

Welcome to part one of the two-part fourth season finale, folks! Prepare to be shocked!

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney.

**Prerequisites (i.e. read these first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #401 ("Jamboree Jambalaya")<br>- Entry #512 ("Fireside Diaries," Episodes 409 & 410)

* * *

><p><em>Entry #533 -<br>Written by Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry, leader of Troop 28933_

_Good morrow!_

_Ye know how that lass Isabella Garcia-Shapiro and the rest of her troop have been writing for that blog of theirs? Well, no one said it be exclusive to just them Yanks, so allow me, Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry, to regale ye with a tale worthy of being posted on the Internet._

'_Cause face it… me and my girls are the bee's knees!_

**-  
>Entry #533 [FSD412] - Case of the Cancelled Cupcakes (09.02.13)<br>-**

_It was lunchtime at Shephardchestersire Elementary, and it was a week before the big day of Valentine. So the gals and I were doing what any other 11-year old lasses would be partaking in at this time of the year._

_Selling cupcakes._

"Thank ye," Elizabeth said, taking the dollar bill that was being handed to her. "We appreciate ye loyalty and ye patronage!"

The lunch lady smiled in appreciation as Elizabeth was handed her heart-shaped cupcake. She headed back to the kitchen, tearing into the sweet treat on the way. The next customer stepped up to the table, ready to purchase a cupcake of his own.

"This is going great," stated Lauren, happily.

The dark-skinned, glasses-wearing girl pulled the last tray of cupcakes from the cart and placed it on the table, removing the wax paper sheet covering it as she did.

"It always be this way, Lauren," Elizabeth told her, as she took the next customer's money. "Lads and lassies alike love Fireside Girl Valentine's cupcakes, whether they be for themselves or for that someone special in their lives."

Suddenly, the school bell rang, signifying the end of the lunch period. Everyone still in line groaned in disappointment. Luckily, Elizabeth was never one to let a customer leave unhappy, as her post-sales plan was put into action by Abigail, the troop's resident jockette.

"The Fireside Girls will be selling and taking orders for Valentine's cupcakes this afternoon outside Food R' Us!" she bellowed, passing out fliers as she did.

Elizabeth turned to Lauren, beaming brightly.

"See? Ye have to account for all variables if ye want to have a successful cupcake-selling campaign. And earn our Sweet Love Patches."

"And thinking like that is why we're all glad you're the chief, Chief."

_Remember that statement. It be of very high importance later._

* * *

><p><em>But before that…<em>

After packing up and putting the leftover cupcakes in cold storage, Elizabeth, Lauren, and Abigail got in line with the rest of their classmates to walk back to their classroom. The trio was chatting amongst themselves when suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth spotted someone of interest.

_...I suppose this is as good as any time to be introducing… sigh… him…_

Elizabeth became lost in a dream state as she stared at a hunky sixth grader who was in the midst of retrieving something from his locker before his afternoon subjects.

_Charles Royale. The cutest, hunkiest, dreamiest 11-year old to ever be a thrice-removed descendant of the Queen._

_Yes, __**THE **__Queen._

_So what's a British hunk like him doing here, ye might ask? Well, he's here as part of the Young Student Exchange program, spending the entire school year here in America._

Charles pulled his head out and turned to face Elizabeth. Their eyes met for a few seconds, giving Elizabeth a view of his stunningly pearl white teeth. Time seemed to stop, as did she, as they just stared at each other for what appeared to be hours on end.

_And by golly, I'm giddy that he chose our school to be at._

Elizabeth's mouth opened, as she wanted to say hi to him. But her living dream sequence came to an abrupt end when a curly-haired brunette wrapped herself around Charles' arm.

"Charlie!" she cooed. "I **LOVE** this bracelet you made, just for me!"

Charles looked at his girlfriend. "Oh. Yes."

He closed his locker and then, taking her hand, the lovely couple started walking to catch up with the rest of their class.

_If only I had been the first girl to approach her…_

_And only if it had been anyone but Isabella Cullen. That… that… wench!_

As if hearing Elizabeth's thoughts, Isabella looked back just long enough to stick her tongue out, trying to get a rise out of the British-born Fireside Girl. It worked, as Elizabeth started scowling openly.

_Why do all the Isabellas always get what they want? Ugh. I blame that book series all the preteens are into._

"Elizabeth? Elizabeth!"

Lauren shook Elizabeth back to her senses before she could descend into a state of mad jealousy.

"No time for love, girl! We're up first for oral group book reports, remember?"

"Oh. Ri-right. Let's crank this out then, shall we? 'Sides, what kind of lass thinks about findin' their mate at 11?"

The two resumed walking, catching up with the rest of their class.

_Okay, self? Ignore what I just said. There be nothing wrong with findin' the man of ye dreams at age 11._

_Even if some curly-haired harpy has her claws sunk into him._

* * *

><p><em>But this ain't be about my love life. Even though it's seven days until the big day… of love…<em>

_**IT'S NOT ABOUT MY LOVE LIFE!**_

It was after school, and a minivan pulled up to the front entrance of Food R' Us. A table was set up, and two Fireside Girls were already standing up behind it, finishing up preparations for the sales day.

_This… is about cupcakes!_

Elizabeth emerged from the front passenger seat, and Lauren and Abigail came out from the back seat of the vehicle. The three were in uniform, just like their counterparts, who had arrived before them.

"Good job, Betty and Veronica!" Elizabeth exclaimed, complimenting them on their fast set-up work.

The two sisters saluted in acknowledgement. The younger, less talkative yet more muscular sister, Betty, grunted as she pointed at herself and the table. Veronica, the older, taller sister, translated for her.

"Betty carried the table here from the car all by herself!"

Betty nodded in glee. Elizabeth gave her a pat on the back.

"So, girls… where are the cupcakes?"

The two sisters looked strangely at each other. They had brought the order form booklets, which were already on the table. But the cupcakes for people who wanted to buy and take home cupcakes today? They were nowhere to be seen.

"You tell me," Betty said.

"They're supposed to be here!" Elizabeth pointed out. "You're supposed to be unpacking them already and setting up a sample tray!"

"Perhaps the delivery truck is stuck in traffic?" thought Abigail out loud. "It **IS** rush hour, after all."

Elizabeth whipped out her cell phone. "I'll get to the bottom of this!"

She dialed the number of the delivery company responsible for handling all of their on-site cupcake sales tables.

_Like Abigail, I thought the delivery was just running late. But I wasn't expecting what happened… next…_

"**WHAT DO YE MEAN IT'S BEEN STUFFED?**"

"Huh?" the other girls turned to look at Elizabeth, wondering what was up.

"I placed this order weeks ago! Ye… ye just delivered cupcakes to us the day before last!"

Elizabeth walked away from the others, wanting to continue to talk in private.

"You don't understand! I'll have two, perhaps three score of customers on us in minutes! You're telling me I don't have **ANY** cupcakes to sell?"

"Like I said, Miss Hollingberry," the man on the other end of the line told her, "the order was cancelled this morning."

"Cancelled? By whom?"

"I am not privy to that information."

"Well, I know for sure it wasn't me who cancelled it! So who's responsible?"

"It doesn't say who."

"Really? Well, whomever's responsible is gonna wish they hadn't messed with this Fireside Girl!"

With that, Elizabeth hung up.

"What's up?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah," added Abigail. "We sellin' cupcakes or what?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath, if only just to give herself a second to figure out what to do now, and then she turned to face them.

"Apparently, girls… we have a mystery on our hands!"

* * *

><p><em>We had to figure out who would cancel our cupcake order. Was it a clerical error? Or was it sabotage?<em>

_Only one way to find out._

Troop 28933 arrived at the warehouse of their troop's cupcake supplier. The first person they ran into was in the loading dock, where their normal delivery driver was in the process of unloading his truck.

"It surprised me too, girls," the man said, taking time out to answer their questions. "But I'm just following orders. If they said the order's cancelled, I unload the truck. Simple as that."

Elizabeth's brain started working, taking in the driver's testimony into account.

* * *

><p>The girls moved on to questioning the guy they had talked to on the phone. He was at his computer, showing Elizabeth the screen showing their cancelled invoice.<p>

"You didn't leave a reason for the cancellation?" questioned Elizabeth.

"Why would I? I wasn't the one who processed it!"

He then pointed out the electronic signature, which was basically the first and last initials of the person who had taken the cancellation order.

"MJ?"

"Mr. Jenkins. The manager. He must've received it."

"Hmmm…"

The gears in Elizabeth's head started turning.

* * *

><p>They then approached Mr. Jenkins in his office.<p>

"The order came down from Amy," he told them.

"Amy?" Elizabeth followed up. "As in Amy Bolling, senior Fireside Girl and current Regional Elected Representative?"

"That's the one."

"Why? Why would she cancel our order? We've never done anything to her!"

"You have to ask her. All she told me is that there was a personnel change."

"A personnel change? What could that mean? Hmmm…"

_There was only one way to get an answer to that question._

* * *

><p><em>To ask her ourselves.<em>

20 minutes later, Elizabeth and company found themselves inside Fireside Girls Regional Corporate Headquarters. Following the signs inside, they were heading directly for Amy's office.

"There's the receptionist's desk," pointed out Lauren.

Lauren also happened to point out that the receptionist, a woman in her late 20s, was talking to a teenager in a Fireside Girl uniform. A teenager whom Elizabeth recognized from a photo she had seen of her in the past.

"That's Amy. She'll help us get to the bottom of this."

As they approached, Amy saw them coming. Without warning, she bolted down the hallway, in the opposite direction, and disappeared around the corner.

"What the… after her, girls!"

Elizabeth and the girls gave chase. Feeling them coming after her, Amy started knocking over objects as she passed them to delay the troop. She threw a stack of papers, a water cooler, and a full filing cabinet in their path. But the troop would not let those delay them for very long.

Eventually, Amy led them into a hallway with a number of doors on both sides. She opened the closest one and went inside, shutting the door behind her. The troop did the same, going into the same room. A few seconds later, Amy emerged from a room two doors down. She went straight across the hall and went into the room on the opposite side. Again, Elizabeth and her team followed the exact same path. On the next cycle, Amy emerged from one door and went to the next room up; Betty and Veronica came out of a different door and they went one room down the hall; Elizabeth, Lauren, and Abigail appeared from behind a third different door, and they continued directly across the hall.

_Not for nothing, but I swear I've seen something like this before._

The 'multiple doors' sequence continued on for quite a while, with everyone coming in and out of different doors at the same time, temporarily forgetting who was chasing whom.

_Nah. I must be imagining things._

At one point, Betty stops in the middle of the hallway and just stands there. Everyone keeps running around and around, apparently caught in an endless loop. Finally, after five minutes, Amy unintentionally ran right into Betty's arms. The muscular girl picked the teenager up off the ground and held her up against the nearest wall; Amy's legs were dangling about a foot above the floor.

Upon seeing what Betty was doing, the others broke out of the loop and ran over to join her.

"Betty, no!" hastily reprimanded Elizabeth. "We don't hurt other Fireside Girls."

Veronica coaxed her sister into releasing Amy, letting Betty lower the older girl to a sitting position on the ground.

"So, are you gonna talk?" queried the troop leader.

"Okay, okay!" Amy surrendered. "Look, I was just following orders!"

"Huh. Likely story."

"Like, seriously! **THE** top!"

"**THE** top? You mean…"

Amy pointed to a framed painting hanging at the end of the hallway. The painting was of the founder of the Fireside Girls.

"**ELIZA M. FEYERSEID?!**" the girls all shouted in tandem.

"It must be big," Lauren said with a gulp. "But what?"

"Only one way to find out," Elizabeth replied. "We have to ask her ourselves. And where is she always on every first Thursday of the month?"

The others scratched their heads, unable to come up with an answer. So Elizabeth went easy on them and gave it to them.

"Danville."

_I should've known this would lead us to Isabella and her troop. Time to expose those jelly lasses for the frauds they really are! On to Danville!_

* * *

><p><em>After a little detour…<em>

"Elizabeth? This isn't Danville."

Lauren was pointing out the obvious as the entire troop was hiding behind some hedges on the edge of a suburban front yard.

"Shhh!" shushed Elizabeth, as the front door opened.

Charles stepped out of the house belonging to the family he was staying with. He headed for the driveway, where he was in the midst of washing a car. Elizabeth sighed dreamily as she saw him soap up the windows.

"You know, in 15 counties this technically qualifies as stalking."

"I said shhh!"

"Charlie!" cooed a familiar, screechy voice.

The girls turned to see Charles was getting help… from Isabella.

"She's too young to be washing a car with a boy!" seethed Elizabeth.

"Um, so are you," Lauren pointed out.

With rage clouding her mind, Elizabeth popped out of the bushes and stomped over to get Isabella away from her man. Boy. Crush. Distant love interest?

_Whoa, whoa, nothing to see here, ye Yanks! Note to self: cut this part out of the entry._

* * *

><p>The sky was orange as the sun was setting, hidden behind the towering skyscrapers of downtown Danville. Elizabeth and the other members of Troop 28933 were now standing at the end of the walkway leading up the front door of the lodge of Troop 46231. They all had looks on determination and defiance on their faces.<p>

Especially Elizabeth.

_Where was I? Oh, yeah…_

_Time to expose those jelly lasses for the frauds they really are! Once and for all!_

"It's always Troop 46231," Elizabeth stated out loud. "They've always stood in our way, preventing us from becoming an A-rank, no, an S-rank Fireside Girls troop! They must've convinced the founding mother to sabotage our efforts to get Sweet Love Patches. **AND** become the best troop in the Tri-State Area, of course. We must expose Isabella Garcia-Shapiro and her charges as the Benedict Arnolds they are!"

Suddenly, Lauren's phone beeped, indicating a new e-mail had just arrived in the troop's inbox. Knowing Elizabeth was in the midst of a long-winded speech, she went ahead and checked it.

"After we have taken them fraudulent fillies down a peg, Troop 28933 will truly ascend to greatness! So what do ye say, girls? Ready to show 'em who's boss?"

"**YEAH!**" shouted the others in unison.

Betty and Veronica lifted the blanket off of a wheelbarrow filled with water balloons, all ready to be thrown on a moment's notice.

"Good show. Let's do this!"

They started heading to the front door. Along the way, Lauren finished reading the e-mail, and she tried to get Elizabeth's attention afterwards.

"Whatever it is, Lauren, it can wait until **AFTER** the revenge pelting?"

"But it's from the governing body!" Lauren replied. "It states the reason why our cupcake delivery was cancelled."

Upon hearing this, Elizabeth raised her arm up, signaling for the others to halt. She then turned to Lauren and motioned for her to hand her the cell phone, which Lauren did promptly.

_Reading that e-mail brought about another thing I wasn't expecting._

"Wow! Really?"

Elizabeth read the message a second time to make sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her.

"Really! That's why?"

The others looked over at Elizabeth.

"Are you just gonna leave us in suspense?" asked Abigail. "Or are you gonna tell us?"

Elizabeth gave the phone back to Lauren, who then showed the message on it to the rest of the troop. They were equally surprised.

"No way!" Veronica exclaimed. "For real?"

"If that's the case," Abigail thought aloud, "now what?"

Elizabeth thought for a minute. Suddenly an idea came to her.

"**GOT IT!** Huddle up, girls… this trip may not have been in waste at all!"

They got together, and Elizabeth whispered her plan to them all. After hearing it, Lauren had only one thing to say about it.

"And thinking like that is why we're all glad you're the chief, Chief."

_See? Told you that statement was of high importance!_

* * *

><p>Moments later, the members of Troop 28933 marched into the lodge. Hearing unexpected visitors, Troop 46231 immediately sprung into defense mode. Armed with water balloons and water balloon launching devices, Ginger, Holly, Milly, and Katie quickly surrounded Elizabeth and her girls, leaving them nowhere to escape.<p>

"What's going on here?"

Adyson walked in on the scene, with Gretchen right behind, holding a large notepad. She had no tolerance - and no time - to deal with intruders.

"Adyson Sweetwater," Elizabeth said, with a smirk on her face.

Adyson grumbled. "You."

"**I HAVE A NAME!** It's Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry! We, we do the whole 'say each other's full names' bit, remember?"

Adyson rolled her eyes, then motioned with her hands to signal the others to stand down. They complied, lowering their balloons. Adyson then stared at Elizabeth, crossing her arms over her chest.

"'Cause you're in uniform, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and calling this a business visit. State your purpose and make it snappy. I've got a lot of work to do and I'm **NOT** in the mood."

Gretchen held up the notebook, which showed what Adyson was working on at the moment: theme ideas for an upcoming Valentine's event.

"Oh, Adyson, Adyson, Adyson…"

Elizabeth started pacing back and forth in front of Adyson, much to the latter's chagrin.

"I know ye have got too much on ye plate, juggling duties as class president and leadership of the troop. Temporarily."

"Still waiting for a point!"

"Long story short, consider yourself relieved of duty. As of this moment, I, Elizabeth Griffiths-Hollingberry, am the **NEW** leader of Troop 46231!"

Adyson's eyes went wide with shock.

_Told you that was a tale __**WORTH**__ hearing! Why wouldn't it be, seeing as I am now the leader of the Tri-State Area's finest Fireside Girl troop? Ha ha ha ha ha!_

_Oh, I love my life._

**End Entry**

**Author's Notes:**  
>To be honest, I kinda flip-flop often on how much olde-timey English Elizabeth should have in her speech. Part of it comes from wanting her to act British; part of it comes from finding more use of modern-day British slang. I don't know what I'm going for sometimes.<p>

Also, this entry also gave me a chance to flesh out more on both the similarities and the differences between Elizabeth and Isabella. 'Our' Isabella, that is, not the one introduced in this chapter. But that was obvious, right?

Anyway… 12 down, one to go.

**Next Week: **Isabella here! Whoa, whoa, whoa, Elizabeth's the new leader of Troop 46231? Why? How? What? I guess I'd better get to the bottom of… Phineas? What are you doing here? Does… does this mean… you and I… don't you dare miss the season finale of "Fireside Diaries," one week from tonight! It could be the one that changes everything!


	52. Revelation

"**Fireside Diaries"  
>Story Written by Freedom Fighter<strong>

Sorry about the two-day delay, but finally, I present to you all… the second half of the two-part fourth season finale!

This one's going to be a doozy…

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney. So does the song referenced in this entry.

**Concurrent with (means some events occur at the same time with):**  
>- Entry #533 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 412)<p>

* * *

><p><em>Entry #534 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader<em>

_So, about a month ago, this happened…_

The two girls started running towards the stage to do just that. But along the way, tragedy struck. Isabella appeared to trip over something, and she stumbled to the ground.

"Noooooo..."

Seeing her friendly rival going down, Adyson stopped running and went back to check on her.

"Isabella? Isabella, are you okay?"

Pan over to Isabella, who was lying in a hospital bed with a cast on her left leg that went all the way up to just below her knee. That leg was also elevated, in order to prevent her from putting any weight on it.

"Ginger told me the prognosis this morning," Adyson said as she pulled up a chair next to the bed so the two girls could talk. "You're gonna be on crutches for at least a month, girl!"

_Forced out of the game for so long, I had no choice but to temporarily give up leadership to another member of the troop._

Isabella smiled. "Keep it. 'Cause I think we just found our true temporary leader!"

The room erupted with applause and jubilation, as the other girls got up to go and congratulate Adyson.

_Adyson's being doing a great job despite the circumstances…_

Adyson and Baljeet took a deep breath, then said the exact same thing.

"This was fun, but I think we should break up."

The two gasped.

_But neither she nor I could be prepared for what happened next…_

* * *

><p>Isabella was sitting in front of her computer, working on an important document. Suddenly, she heard a 'ding' sound come from her speakers. That was the signal that she had gotten a new e-mail in her inbox. She quickly switched tabs and started to read it.<p>

"Huh?" she gasped, a certain sentence getting her attention. "**WHAT?**"

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, her family's car pulled up in front of her troop's lodge. Getting out, she made her way to the entrance door as fast as she could. Because although she was no longer on crutches, she had on a protective boot on over her left leg, which hindered her slightly. Still, it only took a few steps more than usual to reach the door and push it open…<p>

_Once I was inside, I knew that the next few days were __**NOT**__ going to be fun._

"Wha-wha-what? What's going on in here?"

**-  
>Entry #534 [FSD413] - Revelation (09.11.13)<br>-**

Isabella looked all around the interior of her troop's lodge. The members of Troop 28933 were spread wide and far, in the midst of doing some redecorating. Betty and Veronica were bringing in potted flowers, which were mostly carnations and chrysanthemums. Lauren was in the process of installing a second computer, one slightly newer than the one Troop 46231 had. And Abigail was putting up a framed painting of Elizabeth dressed as the Queen of England, right next up to the one of Fireside Girls' founder Eliza M. Feyerseid.

Seeing all this, Isabella again shouted for an explanation.

"Hello? Anyone wanna tell me what's going on in here?"

"**CHIEF!**"

Isabella turned and saw Gretchen and some of the other girls walk up. She could just tell by looking at their faces that they were scared and confused.

"Gimme the 4-1-1, Gretchen."

Gretchen whispered the situation to Isabella. It did not take long for her to start scowling in anger.

"Where. Is. She?"

* * *

><p>Elizabeth was leading Adyson through the lodge's backyard, pointing out things that she wanted changed now that she was in charge.<p>

"Fir trees aren't that sturdy when it comes to construction of ye treehouse. Perhaps we should invest in some mature black spruces? Two or three be fine; we'll give those firs to someone who needs it more. After all, recycle, recycle, recycle! Anything to make this skyscraper-locked gruff of a yard look more… inviting."

"And how do you suppose we get the permits for all that tree-related work?" seethed Adyson.

"Don't ye have connections? I'm sure those lads Phineas and Ferb would be willing and able to speed along such a task through council."

"You know, technically, Elizabeth, I **AM** still acting troop leader until the change-of-leadership ceremony."

"All a formality. Besides, you need my leadership right now, given how lazy your troop has become since you were placed in command. Perhaps if a certain lassie would spend less time with her boyfriend."

Elizabeth paused, then let out a staged gasp.

"Oh, right! Ye broke up with him, didn't ya?"

_That's a low blow, Elizabeth._

"That's a low blow, Elizabeth!" Isabella exclaimed, hobble-marching into the yard.

_See? Even I agree with myself._

Isabella got in between the two girls and started a vigorous verbal defense of her friend.

"What Adyson does outside of the Fireside Girls is her own business. It hasn't affected her ability to lead this troop effectively. Got it?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "If you say so, Chief."

"Isabella," Adyson interjected, putting a hand on Isabella's shoulder. "It's okay. She… she can say whatever she wants. She **IS** going to be in charge now, after all."

Isabella gave her a confused stare. "Where did you get that idea from?"

"The message Elizabeth got from the higher-ups!"

"Exactly," Elizabeth said in agreement. "What, you don't believe the word of your own girl's mouth?"

"You girls read need to work a little on reading comprehension."

Gretchen came running out with a printed copy of the e-mail Isabella had been sent. It was the same one that had been sent to Elizabeth. Gretchen handed it to Isabella, who began to reread it to herself.

"What's there to debate?" questioned Elizabeth. "It says that our troops are merging as a result of LRAC! The Lodge Realignment and Closure Commission. Troop 46231 is dissolving and its membership is now in Troop 28933's recruitment jurisdiction. As leader of Troop 28933, that means that all of you are under my command."

"Actually," corrected Isabella, "it says Troop 46231 is absorbing the recruitment jurisdiction of Troop 28933. So it's your troop becoming part of mine. Not the other way around."

"What? That can't be!"

Isabella handed the paper to her and Elizabeth looked it over again.

"Awesome!" cried a giddy Adyson. "I'm gonna tell Elizabeth's girls to stop with the redecorating."

"Hold it right there!" growled Elizabeth.

"Now what?" Adyson turned around, grumbling.

"As the one who was the leader of the now-defunct Troop 28933, I have every right to motion for a leadership election for the newly merged troop."

"You can't do that! You can't do…"

"She can totally do that, Addy," cut in Isabella.

"Seriously?"

"We'll have it on Saturday during the meeting. Speech or two, quick vote, majority rules. You versus me. Got it?"

"Ye sure you're up to it, darlin'?" queried Elizabeth. "That boot tells me you're not ready to retake your position as troop leader by Saturday. And, per regulations, any troop leader who is on injured relieve and is unable physically and mentally to retake their position after a six-week period must permanently relinquish the title to any other active member of the troop. By election, of course."

Adyson laughed. "No way that's a rule. No way that's a… Isabella?"

"It's a rule."

"No way!"

Gretchen handed Adyson an abridged version of the Fireside Girls' Handbook, and she started flipping through it. And after she found the rule…

"Ugh… yes way."

"If I'm running unopposed, then I guess it **IS** still a formality. As of Saturday, I will be your new queen, girls! Er, I mean troop leader."

With that, Elizabeth marched back inside with her nose snootily pointed upwards as she passed Isabella and the others.

"When she's right, she's right," noted Gretchen.

"Maybe so," Isabella said aloud, "but there's one thing Elizabeth forgot."

Adyson continued reading down the page and instantly figured out what Isabella was referring to. She started reading it aloud.

"'In the event that a leader of one the troops to be merged is unable to resume her duties prior to the election, said leader may appoint the Fireside Girl she has temporarily passed control of her troop to to run in her place.'"

Isabella nodded. "Hopefully it won't come to that, but Adyson… would you do it if I asked you to?"

"I suppose. Though being a full-time student, class president, **AND** Fireside Girl troop leader won't be easy."

"I know you can handle it. You wouldn't have been in charge here the last month if I thought you couldn't."

"Thanks, Izzy. But just so I don't have to make that decision… you'll be fit and ready to retake this Troop Leader Patch from me before Saturday. Right?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

_Why wouldn't I be? Right? Right?_

* * *

><p>Two days earlier, at Isabella's house...<p>

"**ISA!** You have a visitor!"

Isabella did not hear her mom call out to her, as she was sitting at her computer; she was listening to music as she did some homework on her desk. So she was a little surprised when she heard somebody knocking on her open door.

"Hi, Isabella! Can I come in?"

It was Phineas. Immediately, Isabella panicked and pushed the boy of her dreams out of her room. She slammed the door shut and then immediately went to work tidying up her room. Most of that involved taking close to 100 photos, drawings, paintings, small clay statues, and anything other work of art that, when seen, would undoubtedly tell Phineas that she has a crush on him, and hiding them.

_Don't give me that look! If you had a shrine dedicated to your crush that he didn't know about, you'd keep it a secret from him too!_

After a minute, Isabella reopened the door to her room.

"Hi, Phineas!" she cooed sweetly, as if he had just gotten there now instead of 60 seconds ago. "Whatcha doin'?"

"I wanna talk about something. Mind if I come in?"

"Sure!"

She stepped aside to let him in. As Phineas gave himself a visual tour of Isabella's room, a feeling of joy spread over her.

"Wow. Phineas. In my room! I never thought this would happen until my... my... I was older."

Isabella went in and headed back to her chair. For lack of a better place to sit, Phineas plopped down onto the edge of Isabella's bed.

"Whoa," gasped Phineas aloud. "And here I thought all girls' rooms were like Candace's."

"Ahem." Isabella politely coughed, steering the conversation in the right direction.

"Your Mom said it was okay to come up. If you want me to leave..."

"No. No, I don't. So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, you see, it's like this, Isabella. For months, I've been thinking of the right words to say to you at this very moment. And now, out of nowhere, I know what those words must be!"

"Yes?"

Phineas took Isabella's hands in his and looked deep into her eyes.

"Isabella, I want you to explore 'a whole new world! That's where we'll be! A thrilling chase; a wondrous place! For you and me!'"

"Well-placed lyric recital. Oh, and **I'D LOVE TO!**"

Phineas let go of Isabella and spun himself behind a panel screen. He spun out from the other side, now dressed like a sultan, complete with a turban that had a feather sticking out of the front of it. Isabella gasped as Phineas came back to her and pulled her out of her chair. He guided her to a carpet lying on the floor in the center of the room. Along the way, the walls magically fell outward, revealing nothing but upon sky. Isabella giggles as she and Phineas sat down on the carpet, which immediately lifted up off the ground.

"A magic carpet?"

"Yep. And improved from the first one for a smoother ride... for two!"

"Oh, Phineas!"

Isabella rested her head on Phineas' shoulder as the carpet rose to a cruising altitude and then headed off to some faraway romantic place.

* * *

><p>"Isabella? Isabella!"<p>

Isabella felt Phineas shaking her gently, trying to get her attention.

"Phineas! I... I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

"Well, I just wanted to ask you if you want to help us plan the Tri-State Area Sweetheart Dance. We volunteered for it through City Council. Me and Ferb, that is. Anyway, we're used to spur-of-the-moment creations, and I figured a great event planner like yourself could help us get everything together in a week! You up to it?"

"Am I up to it? You know it!"

"**GREAT!** Let's go to my place! I wanna show you what we've go so far!"

"**AWESOME!**"

Isabella did a fist pump - without Phineas seeing - and followed him out of the room.

_What? We're 11. Girl's gotta take what she can get._

* * *

><p><em>And what I got was more than anyone could ever ask for.<em>

Whimsical music began playing in the background, as Isabella stood next to Phineas, listening to him explain the blueprints he and Ferb had already started on. She sighed audibly as he talked, more entranced by the way his mouth was moving rather than the words coming out of it…

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, Isabella was inputting some of her suggestions, including a giant heart-shaped entranceway into the dance hall, which would announce couples as they came in via a speaker and a fancy light display. Phineas gave her a thumbs up and then walked away. Once he had left, Isabella turned the blueprint over to page two, in which she planned to program it to display the words 'Together Forever' after she and Phineas walked in.<p>

* * *

><p>The afternoon after that, Isabella was assisting Phineas in taking inventory in the garage so that they knew what to order. While doing so, their hands inadvertently touched while going for the same square piece of wood. They stared at each other for a few seconds before they both realized what was going on, and they quickly forced apologies for doing so.<p>

* * *

><p>But just minutes later, the two crossed paths once more. Isabella was trying to carry a cardboard box out to a waiting moving truck. Suddenly, she backed into Phineas, who had his back towards her. She let the box fall out of her hands and the contents spill out onto the grass. Phineas hastily apologized and helped Isabella gather all the items and put them all back in the box. While doing so, their hands touched once more, and again, they stared at each other for a short amount of time.<p>

Eventually, though, they snapped out of it once more, and went back to what they were doing.

* * *

><p>A little while later, the fully-loaded moving truck drove out of the Flynn-Fletcher driveway. Once it was out of sight, Phineas turned to face Isabella.<p>

"Isabella, I want you to have this."

He handed her a credit card.

"Our entire city-approved budget for the event is on that. I can trust you to order everything, right?"

"O-O-Of course!"

"There's enough on there to buy something nice for yourself as a thank you gift! Thanks a lot, Isabella… this wouldn't be possible without you! I'm glad you were here to help!"

Phineas waved goodbye as he headed back through the gate, disappearing into his backyard. Meanwhile, Isabella was stunned just about speechless after hearing those words come out of her crush's mouth.

"He was glad… he appreciated me! D-D-D-Does that mean…"

_If that meant what I thought it meant, well…_

_I'm still ready to retake my Troop Leader Patch. Yes. Yes, I am._

_I… think…_

* * *

><p>Saturday<p>

The members of Troop 46231, both old and new, were gathered in the meeting room of the lodge. The newer members all appeared cool and collected, especially Elizabeth, who was refining her speech at the last minute with Lauren. Meanwhile, all of the older members seemed to be nervous. Particularly Adyson, who was on her phone, attempting to call someone.

"Where is she?" Adyson wondered aloud. "She **KNOWS **the meetings start at 10! She made that rule, y'know."

Adyson started pacing. Holly tried to calm her down.

"Chill, girl! She'll be here."

"What if she's not? Holly, I didn't prepare a speech!"

"You could just wing it."

"'Winging it' doesn't win elections. You think I would've beaten Isabella out for class president if I 'winged it?'"

"Okay, okay! Don't rip my head off."

All of a sudden, Gretchen ran into the room.

"Everyone! You **HAVE** to see this!"

* * *

><p>Gretchen led everyone into the storage room. When they got in there, they saw that there was an orange sash lying on the sorting table. It was a sash that had a ton of patches seen in it.<p>

"It's someone's sash," muttered Elizabeth. "So what?"

"I'd recognize those patches anywhere!" exclaimed Adyson. "That's Isabella's sash!"

Everyone in the room gasped in shock.

"This was with it," Gretchen added, holding up a sealed envelope.

She handed it to Adyson, who tore it open and read the letter inside, while others either read or listened along.

* * *

><p><em>If you're reading this, then you've already seen my Fireside sash on the table. Allow me to explain.<em>

Two hours earlier...

Isabella opened the door to the storage room and turned the lights on. She trotted over to the sorting table and placed her cleanly pressed and folded sash on top of it. She then put the sealed envelope atop that.

_Since temporarily stepping away as your fearless leader six weeks ago because of my injury, I haven't been able to spend any time with you girls. Seeing you all in school and hearing about all your Fireside adventures just isn't the same if I'm not there with you to experience them all. I missed being able to hang out with you girls and have fun. I missed being there for you all when times were tough and everything didn't go our way. I missed being there every time we triumphed, especially when it came to obtaining some of the more difficult patches._

_I missed being a Fireside Girl! And up until a few days ago, I was ready to come back... even if my leg wasn't._

_But something's changed._

_Being alone more often than not the last month or so, I've had a lot of time to think. And when I wasn't by myself, the one person that I was with was a special someone that I'm really, really fond of. And you know what? He made me realize that as much as being a Fireside Girl enabled me to spend a good deal of time with him, __**NOT**__ being one, albeit temporarily, allowed me to spend even more time by his side. I wanted so much to move on to the next step in my relationship, but as Adyson has shown during my time away, doing too many things at once can lead to frustration, heartbreak, and disaster. So it's with a heavy heart that I write this next sentence._

_I'm leaving the Fireside Girls._

_I realize now that my desire to be with him is greater than the one to be your leader. And I feel that if I can't give you 100 percent as troop leader, then I'd be disrespecting myself, you all, and the Fireside Girl brand._

Now standing in the doorway, Isabella took one last look at her sash on the table before turning off the lights...

_Post this as the end of my final entry for the Fireside Diaries. I wish you all good luck. See you around, girls._

"Goodbye."

...and closing the door, leaving the lodge and the Fireside Girls... forever.

**End Entry  
>End Season Four<strong>

**Author's Notes:**  
>So… raise your hand if you were expecting <strong>THAT <strong>ending…

The series to date has kinda skirted around doing much with Phineas and Isabella. And, believe it or not, this was kind of a transition season. This season picked up where the previous one left off, resolving the Adyson-Baljeet-Ginger love triangle. But I wonder how many of you considered that the end result of that storyline would affect Isabella's ongoing one-sided romance with Phineas, and how it would lead her to do something drastic to push it to the next level. The entire season, believe it or not, has been building to this finale, ending in a decision that affects pretty much everyone in the series.

So your question probably is… is there going to be a fifth season?

Usually, this is the point where I say 'yes' and I ask you guys to start submitting ideas for entries, like in the past. But right now, the answer is… maybe. Don't get me wrong. I love writing this series. You guys love reading it. But right now, I'm kind of creatively bankrupt. In other words, I'm not sure where to go from here. Even though there's this cliffhanger thread for Isabella, what about the other girls? This series isn't just about Isabella; it's about Gretchen, Adyson, Holly, Ginger, Milly, and Katie too. And to be frank, I just don't know right now where I want to go with the other girls yet. At least in terms of fresh ideas and stuff both you and I would like.

So this may be the end. This may not be. It may be awhile before I make a decision. Regardless of what that is, I just want to thank you all for being here these past two-plus years. Whether you've been here from the get-go with "Phineas is Mine" or you just started discovered this tonight, I'd like to thank you for all your support. This series wouldn't have gotten this far without all of you. When I make that decision, I'll be sure to post it both on my Twitter and on my profile page so that you all know.

Until the day of that announcement, again, thank you, and thanks for checking out "Fireside Diaries." Good night, and for now, goodbye.

- Freedom Fighter


	53. The New Queen Bee

_Entry #535 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater_

_Okay. So it's been a few days since Isabella decided to resign from the Fireside Girls. I refuse to say the word 'quit,' because I know Isabella's not a quitter. She never has been. Never will be._

The following week at school, the girls take note of the fact that Isabella has decided not to ride the bus, instead opting to have her parents drive her. She would not arrive in class until seconds just before the final bell rang, leaving no time for any of the girls to talk to her before class. When it came to going anywhere in the school, Isabella would always line up at the front of the line, next to their teacher, Mr. Worth, so no one would talk to her around him. At lunch, she would tell Phineas to sit alone with her, instead of with all their friends. And he would comply fully, with one exception… Ferb, whom Isabella allowed to come. And during recess, Isabella would do her best to keep away from everyone, continually moving around the playground until anyone who would try to chase her down gave up.

* * *

><p>In one last feeble attempt to get Isabella to talk to them, the girls gathered around her locker at the end of the day Friday. They knew it was a blisteringly cold 25 degrees outside and that she would have to get her coat out before going home.<p>

But to their surprise, Isabella walked right by all of them, heading for the exit, choosing to brave the icy weather and risk catching a cold rather than get her coat and have to explain to her former troop members - and close friends - why she decided to leave the Fireside Girls.

The girls all looked at each other; each of them thinking about stepping forward and demanding an answer from their ex-leader, but none of them able to muster up the courage to do so. And so they all watched helplessly as Isabella turned and passed through the double doors leading to the stairwell.

_Though could you blame us if we began thinking so?_

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

And with that, the make-up of Troop 46231 has changed as we begin the fifth and final season of the "Fireside Diaries." With Isabella gone, who's in charge? And will they bond with the new leader in time to prepare for a certain upcoming Valentine's Day event?

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney and not me.

**Prerequisite (read the following first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #534 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 413)<p>

**-  
>Entry #535 [FSD501] - The New Queen Bee (02.10.14)<br>-**

The next morning, February 12th…

For the first time in over a year, more than a dozen girls filled the lodge belonging to Fireside Girls Troop 46231. They had just wrapped up the first official meeting of the troop since absorbing the membership of Troop 28933, by recommendation of the Lodge Realignment and Closure Commission. At the moment, there were engaging in two tasks. One, they were completing the renovations that had started last week. And two, they were training for Monday night's Tri-State Area Sweetheart Dance, where the troop was volunteering as runners of the function.

And the person leading the controlled chaos existing inside the cabin-like building? Elizabeth Griffths-Hollingberry, who was elected president at the end of the previous meeting.

"**COME ON!**" she bellowed. "I want ye all to have this place in ship-shape in an hour! Get those ribbons tied tight, those flowers potted properly, and those bookcases dust-free!"

"Aye aye, Chief!" exclaimed the girls in response. Well, some of them.

Elizabeth was pleased that the girls she was formerly in command in as leader of Troop 28933 were doing what they were told, as fast as they could. The girls that had been under Troop 46231's ex-leader, though, did not share that same enthusiasm. A couple of them were just lounging around, not doing anything at all, and those that were doing so were lackadaisical about it.

"What is ye girls problem?" she asked, unhappy at their blatant defiance of her orders. "I am in charge now, so ye have to follow me!"

The girls nodded in acknowledgement, but they did not appear motivated to work harder. Seeing this, though, one of them decided to voice her displeasure.

"**HELLO!** Our leader gave us a direct order! What did Isabella always tell us?"

Gretchen quickly replied back. "To never disobey a direct order, Adyson! Right, girls?"

The others again nodded. This time, though, they listened. Those on the couch got up, and all of them started working at top speed, almost as fast as Elizabeth's girls.

"At least one of ye realizes when she be beat," Elizabeth said braggingly, walking over to Adyson. "At least someone knows their place!"

"You know the only reason we're all listening to you is because we respect the order of the Fireside Girls, right?"

"Say wha?"

"That, and we're in the midst of getting ready for the Sweetheart Dance Monday. After that's over, Elizabeth, believe me… we will find a way to protest your election."

Elizabeth sighed. "Ye may do whatever ye wish Tuesday morning, dear Addy, but this dance is my first major function as leader of the new Troop 46231! Do not think that I will not be afraid to kick any of you out for insubordination or sabotage? Do I make myself clear, Sweetwater?"

"Crystal," Adyson replied, stoically.

With that, Elizabeth marched off to check on her more-willing charges. Adyson went back to what she was doing: figuring out the best arrangement for all of the tables in the dance hall.

_Yeah, we're still bitter about Elizabeth winning the election and becoming troop leader, even if she did so by the book. Still, it's hard to follow someone who has been a bitter rival to us, one who never looked favorably on us in competition. We'd do anything we could to see her removed from office. Well, anything that doesn't sully the good name of the Fireside Girls or our troop. We have too much respect for the organization that brought us all together a few years ago and made us all lifelong friends, and we're not going to damage everything we've worked for just to take down one thorn in our side._

_No matter how much we're tempted to do so._

Adyson sighed loudly, and then waited until Elizabeth was out of earshot before she voiced a thought; one that she knew was also on the other girls' minds.

"I wonder if Isabella's going to be at the dance on Monday."

_But that was more than an idle thought, or an open-ended question. We knew for sure she was going to be there. After all, Ferb told me that Isabella had helped him and Phineas out with all of the cool contraptions that they were planning to employ to make it, well, to be blunt, a 'Phineas and Ferb' dance._

_In fact, we also knew for a fact that she was at their house._

_Right now._

* * *

><p>Isabella was indeed in the brothers' backyard. The boys were hard at work on their latest invention, and she was helping. And by helping, that meant Isabella was Phineas' right-hand girl, giving him whatever he needed, whenever he needed it.<p>

"Just a few more tweaks and we're all set!" Phineas said. "Isabella, hand me that box by your feet."

Isabella complied, grabbing a small box off of the grass that could easily be held in one's hand. She gave it to Phineas.

"What's in it?"

"A splash of color."

Turning the opening of the box towards the machine in front of him, Phineas flipped it open. A literal splash of color, of the baby blue variety, landed on their invention-of-the-day, just to liven up its appearance a little.

"Alright, we're ready! Ferb?"

Ferb handed Phineas a two-knob remote control. He turned the top knob slightly, just enough to turn the machine on. A small refurbished disco sphere rose out of the top of it. He turned the knob some more, making the sphere rise up until it was about 15 feet up off the ground or so. Phineas then moved to the second knob, and turned that about halfway on.

"Voila!"

Radio waves started transmitting from the sphere. It was not immediately clear as to what they did at first. Suddenly, out in the neighborhood, married couples started kissing, dating couples began hugging each other, and a young pair of kids stopped fighting over a ball. In the Flynn-Fletcher backyard, Isabella openly sighed as she rested her head on Phineas' right shoulder. And he did not think anything off about it, smiling as he glanced over at her.

"It's safe to say that we've successfully found a way to spread love and peace across the Tri-State Area so that no one will spend Valentine's lonely or heartbroken."

"That's so sweet, Phineas!" cooed Isabella.

"Oh! One more thing!"

Phineas looked over at Ferb, who toggle a switch on the machine labeled 'Safety' from off to on. After doing so, he gave a thumbs up.

"That'll keep the influential rays at a safe level. We want everyone to be happy, but we also don't want to force someone to be with a person they don't like."

Isabella gulped with worry. He… he could not be talking about him in reference to her, right?

"Of course," Phineas grinned as he turned back to Isabella, "that's not a problem for us. Is it?"

Isabella giggled with relief. "Nope. No, it isn't."

She lifted her head off of Phineas' shoulder so he could inspect the machine with Ferb for any possible problems before they would turn it up to full power. Isabella just stood there and watched, content with watching them do their thing.

"So, Ferb…" Phineas said, making small talk with his brother, "ready for the Sweetheart Dance on Monday?"

The words 'Sweetheart Dance' reverberated in Isabella's ears. She listened closely as Phineas continued to talk.

"The Fireside Girls are all gonna be there. If you know what I mean…"

She then heard 'Fireside Girls,' and suddenly her heart sank.

"I'm not planning any extracurricular activities, if that's what you're thinking."

Phineas put an arm around Ferb's shoulder. "Whoa, whoa, I'm talking about one dance here, one dance there… nothing wrong with getting to know them a little more…"

They walked far enough that Isabella could now only make out mumbles instead of coherent words. But her mind was not on Phineas trying to nimbly set up with Ferb with one of her friends, but on the fact that her friends were going to be there. The same friends she had been actively avoiding for the past week.

_Isabella's mind was racing! She thought, "What am I going to do? I can't avoid them forever! I want to go to the dance because it'll be my first real time out with Phineas, but with the girls there, I'll just be hounded with questions about why I left and why I refuse to be candid to them about it."_

_Well, that's what I would be thinking if I were Isabella._

"We're still driving you there, right, Isabella?"

Isabella snapped to attention, not realizing the boys had come back over, having finished their little chat.

"Uh huh," she mumbled, so surprised by their sudden return that those were the only words she could get out of her mouth.

"Seven's fine? That should be enough time to get ready after we get home from school on Monday. Actually, you know what. 7:30, just to be safe."

"Oh! School. 'Cause Valentine's Day is on a Monday this year, heh heh." Isabella let out an uncomforting chuckle.

"That's what the calendar says," confirmed Phineas, holding one up with the day circled on it.

"Monday at 7:30 then."

With that, Isabella left.

_Isabella couldn't help but wonder, "Surely Phineas has figured out why I left the Fireside Girls. And as much as I appreciate getting to spend even more time with him now, there's no way he's okay with this, right? It's great to know now that he likes me like I like him, but will I pass up time with him just to avoid the girls. There's no way I can face them now after ignoring them for a week! They'd never forgive me!"_

_Again, if I were Isabella… that's what I'd be thinking…_

* * *

><p>Two days later - Valentine's Day<p>

The school day was almost over, but there was still one more thing that had to be done before class was dismissed.

"Okay, class," Mr. Worth said to them. "You may now pass out your Valentine's Day cards."

Everyone got out their cards and rose out of their seats. They started making their way around the room, depositing cards in each of the cardboard boxes of their fellow classmates. Like last year, Phineas and Ferb had tricked their cards out, although this year's batch did not require to be prefaced with a warning telling them to not open them indoors. And also like last year, Buford did not hand any out and instead sat at his desk and demanded money from the boys - as well as from the girls. Mr. Worth would not have it, though, as he put a stop to it immediately, forcing the bully to pass out sticky notes to everyone, complete with his atrocious handwriting and spelling.

The girls themselves took their time traversing the room, separate from Isabella, who distributed her cards on her own. They saw her deposit a large card in Phineas' box; it was the largest of any of the ones she had, but not quite as big as the one she gave him last year. Meanwhile, both Ginger and Adyson paused briefly after attempting to insert their own card for Baljeet into his box… at the exact same time. After standing there awkwardly for a little bit, Ginger finally dropped hers in, and then Adyson. They then moved on without saying a word.

Finally, the girls made it around to the last group of desks, and they had purposely made sure that the last one each of them gave out…

…was to Isabella, who by that time, was already back in her seat and was there to watch them drop their cards in, one at a time. There were no words exchanged between any of them, except for a few from Gretchen.

"Happy Valentine's, Chief."

With that, they all went back to their seats. With all the cards distributed, everyone was now free to check their valentines, if they so wished. Isabella hastily dumped all of hers on her desk. Normally, she would have immediately gone for Phineas' right off the bat. She instead went for all the girls' ones instead. She opened Gretchen's first and smiled. She then did the same for Holly, Ginger, and Adyson. She shot a glance over at them, hoping to catch them looking back, but they were all too preoccupied checking their spoils.

She sighed as she gathered all of her cards back up, both opened and unopened, and started stuffing them into her bag. The bell rang shortly thereafter, and, like most of last week, she was the first one out the door, not waiting up for her friends to thank them.

_All of us would've given her cards even if we didn't have to._

The foursome all looked at each other, sad that Isabella ran off again.

_But it would be nice if she were a little appreciative of the thought we put into ours._

* * *

><p><em>Still, we were pretty sure she'd get another chance later that night…<em>

Night had fallen, and it was time for everyone to make their way to the Sweetheart Dance. At the Flynn-Fletchers' house, Phineas and Ferb were walking out towards the car, adorably dressed in pinstripe suits.

"I do believe we've never looked dapper," thought Ferb out loud.

"My sentiments exactly," said Phineas, agreeing with him.

"Splendid look, boys!" exclaimed their dad, coming outside dressed up as well. "You'll make a killing at this hullabaloo! Though not too much I hope… you're only 11 now."

"You sure you don't want to come, Candace?" asked the boys' mom, talking to Candace, who was dolled up in a cute light blue gown.

"To something **THEY** had a hand in creating?" Candace fired back, pointing to her brothers. "No way! It's trouble! T-R-O-U-B-L-E! And you should be busting them for it!"

"Candace, it's a town-approved function. Not bustable in anyway. Ha ha… well, especially since there'll be tons of adults there. Including us."

"There will be bipping and bopping," Lawrence admitted, "but no hankying or pankying of any kind."

"Speaking of hankying and/or pankying, you better be responsible with Jeremy, young lady! Got it?"

"Of course! Stacy and Coltrane will be with us! As if they'd be in the mood for…"

Linda started glaring at her, and Candace immediately changed her train of thought.

"…not that I'm in the mood of that sorts with Jeremy. Heh heh heh."

"Home by ten, and not a moment later! Got it?"

Candace nodded, grinning in understanding. Meanwhile, during that exchange, Isabella had walked over with her mom. And the former Fireside Girl leader was dressed to the nines as well, wearing a cute two-toned pink dress with matching-colored training heeled shoes.

"Look at you," Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro said, seeing the Flynn-Fletchers dressed up. "Never seen so many good-looking people in one place."

"Oh, Vivian, you with your flattery," Linda told her, with a giggle. "Anyway, Isabella'll be back home by ten. Plenty of time to send some time alone with that husband of yours."

"How is the old chap, anyway?" asked Lawrence, jumping into the conversation.

As the three adults talked for a few minutes, Isabella made her way over to Phineas.

"Wow, Phineas!" Isabella squealed. "You. Look. Amazing!"

Ferb raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Oh. And… you too, Ferb. You both look amazing."

"Thanks!" Phineas smiled in return. "Ready for a fun night? But not too much fun, as Mom warned. But I don't get it… what's wrong with too much fun! Everyone loves fun!"

"Um, Phineas…"

Before Isabella could explain, Lawrence and Linda were herding them into the car so that they could be on their way. Soon enough, they pulled out of the driveway and were off, waving goodbye to Isabella's mom and Candace, leaving them to partake in their respective plans for the night.

In the car, Phineas sat between Ferb and Isabella. But he was not content on resting there silently, as he struck up a conversation with Isabella.

"I'm glad you're around more, Isabella. It's nice to see you a lot more often, though I'm not sure if that's the love and peace spreading all over Danville talking."

Isabella smiled as she responded to his statement. "I'm glad too! I've always dreamed of getting some time with you, and I'm finally going to get it! Well, not now, since we're in the car with your parents and Ferb, but, but… at the dance! Yes! We'll get some time alone together!"

"That's great! But…"

"But? But what?"

"Well, Isabella… I'm sure you'll want to spend some time with the girls, right?"

Isabella acted hesitant. "Um…"

"You can't avoid them forever. They're your friends too."

"Huh? Phineas?" She tried to act surprised. "I'm not avoiding them. They're… they're avoiding me! Yeah! Th-that's it!"

"But Isabella! They were your life! And you were always so happy when you were with them! You always boasted how proud you were of everything you all did together! So why are you just ignoring them now that you're not associating with them?"

Isabella's eyes went wide. Phineas leaned in a little, lowering his voice so that only Isabella could hear what he was going to say.

"I won't make you do anything, but I really think you should talk with them. At least clear the air."

_Isabella thought about it for a second. "Is this really the time to confront them? I mean, Phineas is probably, no, is definitely right! I don't think he wouldn't spend time with me if I decide not to at least hear the girls out. And maybe… just maybe… the girls are just as wanting to talk to me, but just too hesitant to do so without looking confrontational? OMG! Why is my life so complicated right now?"_

_Isabella really needs to stop sharing her diary with me. I'm so bad at keeping her personal thoughts private. Heh…_

"I… I'll try, Phineas."

He smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "That's my girl."

He then turned to his stepbrother and started talking with him, already anticipating what awaits them at the dance hall.

"I… I'll try…" Isabella repeated, under her breath, with less confidence.

* * *

><p><em>While Isabella took her sweet time reflecting, er, making her way to the dance, those of us already there had on other things on our mind…<em>

At the dance hall, the music was loud and upbeat. Couples of all ages were on the floor, enjoying themselves at the all-ages event. Most of the people working as volunteers for the event appeared to be having fun as well. Except for those who happened to be Fireside Girls.

At least they were dressed up instead of in uniform.

"Abigail!" Elizabeth shouted at Abigail, who was walking alongside her. "I can barely hear myself think! Get someone to tell the music man to lower the volume by 12 percent!"

"Yes."

"And get someone to keep tabs on the trash receptacles. None over half-capacity at any time!"

"Yes."

"And make sure all of those party games that Phineas and Ferb had set up are running smoothly. Yes?"

"Yes."

"**WELL, WHAT ARE YE WAITING FOR? GO AND DO ALL THAT!**"

Abigail ran off to take care of it. Elizabeth made her way over to the refreshment stand. Holly and Ginger smiled as they stood behind the table with wide-mouthed glass bowls filled with punch. Elizabeth got a cup and sampled two of them at random.

"This one doesn't have enough sweet! And… **EEP!** This one has too much! Fix it!"

Holly and Ginger grabbed the bowls in question and carried them back to the kitchen. Elizabeth scanned the room, looking for Adyson. She spotted her not too far away, talking with Django and Wendy. Seeing Elizabeth walk in their direction, the two stepped away so that the Fireside Girls could have a little chat.

"Why are ye socializing, Adyson?" Elizabeth asked her.

Seeing that Elizabeth did not sound as if she was in a good mood, Adyson worded her answer carefully.

"'Cause… this is a dance? And… you socialize at dances?"

"**NO!** The current number of people present is below projections, the games are not as popular as we thought they'd be, the punch is not the right amount of sweet, and **THE MUSIC IS TOO LOUD!**"

Coincidentally, the music happened to be turned down at that very moment, to the point where Elizabeth did not need to yell to be heard.

"You worry too much," Adyson told her. "See? Everything's under control."

"Don't be smug me with me, lass! You and ye girls are planning something. I know ye are!"

Adyson, once again, shut down her paranoia.

"I've told you many times, Elizabeth, we aren't! We're just trying to have fun on Valentine's, just like everyone else. Once you realize that we're all working **FOR** you and not **AGAINST** you, you'll start having fun too! And the better the night will go, too!"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Okay. I believe you."

Suddenly, Adyson saw people start gathering near one of the entrances.

"Time to greet our hosts! Come on!"

Adyson grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her into the growing crowd. As she did, the DJ cut off the music to make an announcement…

"Alright, alright! Everyone make some noise for the two guys who made this entire dance possible tonight…"

The doors burst open, and in walked…

"**PHINEAS AND FERB!**"

The two boys came in, to the roar of the crowd. Someone threw Phineas a wireless microphone, which he easily caught.

"**DANVILLE! ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?**"

**NO!**

_I mean, no, not yet! I'm out of space! To be continued in the next entry, okay? Okay!_

**End Entry**

**Next Time: **(Stick around! The second half of the season premiere of "Fireside Diaries" will be posted later tonight!)


	54. The Night That Changed Everything

The Flynn-Fletcher family - minus Candace - and Isabella walked up to the entrance of the dance hall from the parking lot.

"Just texted Adyson," Phineas said aloud as he put his cell phone back in his pocket. "They're ready for us!"

Phineas and Ferb led the way, with Isabella bringing up the rear and pausing for a second, already dreading the inevitable once she stepped inside.

"I… I'll try…" she repeated once more.

And then she went in…

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

Time to go dancing in the second half of the season five premiere! Will Isabella survive the closest thing to a 'date' she's head with Phineas while avoiding a confrontation with her former troopmates?

One thing's for sure… it's going down!

(**Note: **This is the second of two new entries posted tonight! Make sure you've read the previous one before going to this one - see prerequisite below!)

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney and not me.

**Prerequisite (read the following first before reading this):**  
>- Entry #535 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 501)<p>

**-  
>Entry #536 [FSD502] - The Night That Changed Everything (02.10.14)<br>-**

_Entry #536 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater_

_Where were we? Oh, yeah, I remember now…_

"**DANVILLE! ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?**"

"**YES!**"

With that, Phineas and Ferb led the dance hall in a party song. While that was going on, Isabella snuck in during it, trying to avoid being spotted by any of the girls. And it appeared to work…

Until the crowd started dissipating at the song's conclusion. They all went back to dancing, conversing, getting refreshments, or enjoying the many games set up around the hall. As things returned to normal, Elizabeth, Adyson, Milly, and Katie all finally catch a glimpse of Isabella, over on the far side of the room. As they all look at her, she spots them doing the same. They uncomfortably stare for a few seconds before several other people block their view inadvertently. The next time the Fireside Girls got a clear shot, Isabella was gone, having disappeared into the crowd.

Elizabeth turned to the others, and saw them still gawking.

"Well? What are ye Yanks waiting for? I know ye all want to gab with her!"

Milly and Katie instantly turned away, unwilling to admit it. Adyson, though, did not shy away. She shook her head.

"The time isn't right. B-B-Besides, you said we have a dance to keep under control, so…"

With that, Adyson grabbed the two younger girls and pushed them away from Elizabeth, leaving their leader flabbergasted.

"Hmph!" the British girl huffed.

Once they were a good distance away, Adyson stopped pushing Milly and Katie. By this point, though, they were on the dance floor, in the midst of a large group of people letting themselves loose. Noting this, they quickly moved to get off, only for Katie to bump into the back of a boy around her age.

Irving.

"Whoops!" Katie hastily apologized. "Sorry."

"No big."

The two stared into each other's eyes. After a brief pause, Irving found his arms and legs moving to beat of the music that was playing. And soon after, Katie was too. And just like that, they were dancing together.

Adyson and Milly just looked at on, astonished.

_Katie and Irving?_

_Well… stranger couples have happened._

Holly appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Milly and getting her to dance with her. They shimmied their way over to a group of kids unattached to anyone, forming a little party within the bigger one. Adyson let them be, deciding she could go work for a little while.

But then she saw Ginger, standing quietly, albeit sadly, behind the refreshments table.

_Speaking of strange couples…_

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Adyson thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

Adyson made her way to the other side of the dance hall. She found Buford and Baljeet sitting together, in the corner, with the bigger guy keeping a watchful eye on the smaller one.

"Buford?" Adyson approached him, speaking to him in the sweetest voice she could muster. "Can you help me with something?"

He was not all that interested, but got up off of his seat anyway.

"This better be good, missy!"

As Adyson led him away, she very quickly glanced back over to Ginger, head-bobbing in Baljeet's direction whilst giving her a wink. Moments later, Ginger was no longer at the table and instead had taken Buford's seat, next to Baljeet.

"She's so owing me for that," Adyson mumbled as she led Buford out of the hall.

_Well, love is in the air after all, and someone should be happy on Valentine's Day. And on that note, I swear, if anyone makes any sort of deal about me being with Buford…_

* * *

><p>Speaking of working, Elizabeth was doing rounds, particularly in the area where the games were set up. She noticed that one of the booths not only had no one around it, but it was also completely empty. She marched over to investigate, but as she did, the attraction came back to life. Well, the electrical sign did anyway, signifying it had been powered back up. Elizabeth continued to make her way over, and just as she reached the booth, she saw Lauren walk out from behind it. And with her was Ferb, armed with a toolbox.<p>

"Thanks again!" Lauren said to Ferb. "Sorry for having to pull you away from the fun."

Ferb responded by giving her a 'no problem' look.

"What is going on here?" Elizabeth asked, with a sour look on her face and her hands on her hips.

"The machine went down," explained Lauren. "I had Ferb hear fix it."

"Oh." She relaxed, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. "Well… um… carry on then."

She spun around and walked away.

"That girl is way too stressed," Lauren said aloud.

"Yes," agreed Ferb. "Yes, she is."

* * *

><p><em>In spite of how stressful the dance was going for us Fireside Girls, and by 'us' I mean Elizabeth, for everyone else it was becoming a night to remember.<em>

_Especially for Isabella…_

The dance had moved on to the latter stages, in which most of the songs the DJ was playing were of the slow variety. Isabella was taking full advantage of it, spending it on the floor with Phineas. They smiled at each other, enjoying the other's company. Eventually, Isabella was so comfortable that she moved closer to Phineas, to the point where they was barely any room between their bodies.

"_This is the moment I've always dreamed of! Dancing cheek-to-cheek with Phineas, without a care in the world! I wish this night would never end!"_

_What?_

_Don't look at me like that! That's obviously what she's thinking. You don't need to read her diary for that._

"Oh, Phineas!" Isabella exclaimed. "This is the best night **EVER**!"

Phineas did not respond. He just simply nodded in acknowledgement. They continued to slowly dance in a circle until the end of the song. The DJ then put on the next one, which was of a slightly faster tempo. It was enough to knock the pair out of the moment, and Isabella decided this was a good time for a break.

"Why don't we take five?" she suggested.

"Okay," Phineas agreed. "Want something to drink?"

"Punch would be great."

Phineas nodded and walked off. Isabella made her way back to their table, which was currently empty. She took a seat and started glancing around the room. She saw that everyone was having a good time, and she was glad, given how much she had helped Phineas and Ferb plan all the amusements and refreshments.

But then she was reminded that they were not the ones keeping it under control. The Fireside Girls were. And, in her opinion, they were doing a great job. She saw both her girls and the girls of former Troop 28933 not only maintaining order, but also working well with each other and having fun, to boot. From keeping the refreshments table well-stocked to running the games scattered around the hall and everything in between, it was all running smoothly. Usually, it was the troop leader's job to ensure that was the case at all times. Seeing Elizabeth run around, attempting to do that job, sparked a feeling of emptiness inside of Isabella. And seeing the girls, at least from her perspective, stand by Elizabeth and follow her orders to the letter, gave Isabella an added feeling of loneliness.

"Why do I feel this way?" Isabella asked herself aloud. "I'm with the boy of my dreams, and the night's been perfect! And yet… I'm so unhappy. Why?"

"Maybe because you've realized you didn't have to leave the Fireside Girls in order to spend time with me?"

Isabella's eyes went wide in shocking hearing Phineas' voice, as well as seeing him place a cup of punch on the table in front of her. She spun around in her seat and did indeed see him there, grinning, with his own cup in hand.

_When caught in such a predicament, it is always recommended you tell the truth!_

"Nothing!" she exclaimed, trying to get him to ignore what she had just said. "You didn't hear that!"

Phineas chuckled as he sat down next to her. Isabella blushed in embarrassment as Phineas put his cup down, took her hands in his, and got her to look into his eyes.

"You know you don't have to hide anything from me anymore, right? Not your feelings or why you quit the Fireside Girls."

Isabella gasped. "Why I quit? How did you…"

"Oh, it was obvious."

"Was it?"

"No. Adyson told Ferb, who told me."

"Ah! But, wait, if you knew, why did you lead me on? Pretend like you didn't know?"

"Because, Isabella! Because I wanted to see if you were actually happy with leaving the girls. And now I'm certain that you're not, I want you to go back to them."

"Go back? But Phineas! What… what about us?"

Phineas chuckled. "You can be so silly sometimes, Isabella!"

"Silly?" Isabella was a tad offended by that accusation.

"You didn't have to leave the Fireside Girls to be with me! In fact, the main reason I'm enamored with you is **BECAUSE** of the Fireside Girls! All the fun adventures you get to go on, and all of the crazy stories your troop had to tell."

"Crazy stories? Does that mean…"

"Yep," Phineas affirmed with a nod. "Read them all. Come on. You really think I'm **THAT** naive?"

Isabella smirked. "Well, you coulda fooled me."

"What I'm saying, Isabella, is that you can find time to fit the Fireside Girls **AND** me into your life! And school too, but that's not important right… what's important is why change your life when it was perfectly great to begin with?"

"**OH!** I see… I see what you're saying."

"That-a-girl! Now let's get you signed up to be a Fireside Girl again!"

Phineas got up, pulled Isabella out of her seat, and started tugging her in the direction of her former - and future - troop members.

"Uh, Phineas? It's not gonna be that easy! The way I left…"

But before Isabella could blurt out all of the details, Phineas had already gotten her over to Gretchen and Adyson, who were not that far away. They were only a few tables away, to be exact.

"If you need me, I'll be checking on Ferb."

And with that, Phineas bolted off, leaving Isabella to finally face her friends.

"Girls," she began, nervously rubbing the back of her head, "I have something to tell you."

Gretchen and Adyson looked at her, willing to hear Isabella out. She continued.

"I'm sorry for shunning you all these past few days. And for deciding to quit the Fireside Girls. No, wait… for deciding to quit in the first place. Despite everything that's happened with my injury and the uncertainty of our troop and the merge and all the conflicting drama with Elizabeth and her girls, I realize now that the last thing I should've done was run away from it all. That's not what a leader does, girls. **ESPECIALLY** one who's been through thick and thin for you all. A leader is supposed to stand tall in the face of adversity, and I didn't do that. So… Gretchen? Adyson? Will you two, and the rest of the girls, forgive me for bailing on you?"

Gretchen and Adyson quickly got up from their seats and went around the table, on opposing sides, so that they ended up on either side of Isabella. They quickly put an arm around her, in support.

"You could've stopped at 'I'm sorry,'" Adyson said with a smirk.

"We're not just Fireside Girls, Chief," Gretchen told Isabella. "We're also friends. For life! And all of us feel that way."

Isabella started to cry. "You guys…"

The three of them shared a group hug. After a few seconds of remorseful embrace, Isabella had a question for them.

"Say, I told you the reason why I tried to ignore you guys for a whole week. Why did you all shun me?"

"Well," answered Adyson, albeit hesitantly, "we wanted to give you space. Time to work things out, y'know."

"We also didn't want the new Chief, eh, Elizabeth, to think we were undermining her authority by trying to get you back."

Adyson freaked out. "**GRETCH!** She'll hear you!"

"I already have, dear Adyson."

The trio looked to their right, and there stood Elizabeth. And she looked perturbed.

_Again, when caught in such a predicament, it is always recommended you tell the truth!_

"Isabella! How did you sneak into the middle of our two-person hug? Heh heh… heh… heh…"

_Smooth, me of the past. Smooth._

Adyson and Gretchen backed a couple steps away from Isabella, leaving her to have a one-on-one with the girl who replaced her as leader of her troop.

"Look, Elizabeth. There's something I have to…"

Without warning, Elizabeth grabbed Isabella's hands and looked at her with remorse in her eyes.

"Help me, Isabella! I'm doing a terrible job as leader!"

The others looked at each other, confused.

"What are you talking about?" questioned Adyson. "Seriously, Elizabeth, you're doing a great jo-"

"I wasn't talking to ye, Sweetwater!" the British lass snapped, forcing Adyson to bite her tongue.

"Elizabeth?" Isabella saw the weariness in the girl's eyes. "What's going on?"

"I'm in over me head! I'm used to handling a lot of responsibility, but not anything like this! Sure, everythin' looks fine, but I feel as if it's one small mishap from going completely off the rails!"

"Nonsense! You've done a great job. Right, girls?"

Isabella turned to Gretchen and Adyson for acknowledgement, and they nodded in agreement. But Elizabeth was still not satisfied.

"Gretchen and Adyson and the others have done nothing but be the best of helpers tonight, despite me accusing them constantly of sabotage. But even though I now trust them, I still feel as if this is too much for me to handle! I'm not used to managing so many people at once."

_You and me both, sister._

_What? I'm sympathizing with her!_

Adyson wanted to vocalize her sentiments, but Gretchen wisely shook her head, inferring that interjecting into the conversation between Isabella and Elizabeth was not the thing to do.

"I'm asking for ye help, Isabella!" pleaded Elizabeth. "I cannot handle this! I thought I was ready to manage a troop of this magnitude. But ye… maybe ye can?"

"Well… I guess I could help."

Elizabeth's eyes lit up with hope. "Ye… ye mean it?"

"On one condition, though."

Elizabeth reached into her mini-purse and pulled out her Troop Leader Patch out. She opened up Isabella's hand and placed it in her palm. The former leader was, for a brief moment, speechless.

"Are you sure, Elizabeth? 'Cause I was just gonna ask you to take us all out for smoothies after the dance. But if this is really what you want…"

"Do not make me repeat myself! This be difficult enough as it is!"

Isabella only needed a second to make a decision.

"**I'LL DO IT!**"

Gretchen and Adyson squealed with delight, while Elizabeth flashed a smile in relief.

"But, Elizabeth, I have one **OTHER** condition…"

Hearing this, Elizabeth's emotions were about ready to flip back to negative… until Isabella handed the Troop Leader Patch back to her.

"There's a lot of paperwork and red tape that we have to get through to make the change official. So, for at least tonight, you're still in charge. But I'll be here to give you an advice you need."

"And so will we!" exclaimed Adyson and Gretchen, in unison.

Elizabeth shed a tear of relief. "Thanks."

With that, Isabella led Elizabeth off, going right to work.

* * *

><p><em>And just like that, things were back to normal. Well, as normal as two troops having been merged into one can be, but I'm sure we'll dive into more another day.<em>

The dance continued on for several more hours, and with Isabella's guidance, Elizabeth was able to get through the night without a mental breakdown. At one point, Elizabeth was seen having fun, as she tried to win a prize at the booth Lauren was running. She succeeded, with Isabella and several of the other girls cheering her on.

Later on, after the troop officially handed off responsibilities to adult volunteers - after all, it was a school night - all the girls, as well as their friends, participated in one last dance…

_This last week has been an emotional rollercoaster. Not just for Isabella, but for all of us in the troop. One major week of drama had finally come to an end, and it was time to move on._

…and while they mostly danced as a group, one pair decided to end the night with one final moment together.

"Glad to have you back," Phineas told Isabella.

"But I never… **OH!**" Isabella smirked, getting it. "Glad to be back."

Phineas wrapped his arms around Isabella, holding her close as they danced out those last few seconds of the song.

* * *

><p>The following Saturday, minutes after that week's Fireside Girls' meeting…<p>

Isabella, back in uniform and sporting her sash full of patches - her Team Leader Patch included - trotted over to Elizabeth, who was in the midst of taking down one of the paintings she had put up during redecorating last week.

"Um, Elizabeth? What are you doing?"

Elizabeth turned around. "Me? Well, I figured, since ye now be back in charge, everything should go back to the way it was."

Isabella stared at the painting that Elizabeth had just taken down. After a few seconds, she picked it up and hung it back on the wall.

"Nah. The lodge was due for a makeover anyway. And, to be honest, I love what you've done with the place."

She then put an arm around her former rival.

"Besides, we're all one big happy, blended troop now! My cabin is your cabin is our cabin!"

The two laughed in joy, cementing the completion of their transition from being rival leaders to newfound friends for life. Meanwhile, Adyson looked on from the computer, as she finished typing out this week's entry.

_I guess that's it. This was fun, being the main scriber for the troop's diary blog. Isabella's got the next entry, where she'll tell the tale of how she actually went back to Phineas' house after the dance…_

"**I CAN SEE YOUR 'TALL TALE' FACE FROM HERE, ADDY!**" Isabella shouted from across the room.

Having been caught, Adyson grinned sheepishly as she deleted the last sentence and retyped it.

_Isabella's got the next entry, probably describing us getting yet another Help Thy Neighbor Patch today. Elizabeth and the others are gonna learn what Troop 46231 actually does the most regularly. Heh heh._

With that, Adyson posted the entry and then logged off, joining the rest of the troop in another trip to the Flynn-Fletcher backyard.

**End Entry**


	55. Pineing for Membership

A small passenger plane landed at the lone runway at an airport located somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Flash forward to a few minutes later, as about a dozen people emptied out from the plane and into the terminal. And among them was a certain cute-as-a-button Fireside Girl…

_Entry #373 - Written by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, troop leader_

_I'm embarking on new territory today, folks! For the first time, I'm traveling to another town to assist in the creation of a new Fireside Girl troop! And by assist, I mean assessing the would-be troopers in order to see if they have everything needed in place to form an official troop._

Isabella quickly picked up her one bag and headed for the airport exit. She makes her way over to a sign marking the bus stop, and waits there for her ride. Soon after, Isabella was on her way, the lone passenger on a bus heading deep into a forested area tucked into the mostly wildlife-friendly valley.

_Assessing the worthiness of a place to be the host of a Fireside Girl troop is very involved. You have to make sure there are ample activities for would-be troopers to participate in, adequate facilities to house them, and a high enough base population to draw recruits for years to come._

Isabella enjoyed the tree-lined scenery and the occasional appearance of wildlife… not that there was much else to see in this part of the state.

_All three of those are in question at this prospective troop's hometown, particularly the last one. For a town that's known to be 'north of normal,' it's also smack dab in the middle of nowhere. There are rumors that its beginnings are tied to American history, but those are unproven at best. Regardless, for my first assessing assignment, it'll be tough to give them a passing grade._

_Still, stranger things have happened…_

The last words escaped from her mouth just as the bus passed the sign which bore the town name she was destined for.

Gravity Falls.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

So, raise your hands if you were expecting a "Gravity Falls" crossover episode? I know I've had a couple people ask for this (ahem, nightshad0w, aka chirstperez9703 on Twitter), so I found a way to work one into the story. Special shoutout to a friend of mine, emmanu888 (GUCFan on Twitter), who inspired the plot for this story through role-playing there.

As evident by the entry number, this takes place during the summer - in order to fit into the timeframe of "Falls" - and thus a number of events have yet to take place. Speaking of events, the two-parter that opened this fifth and final season actually debuted last month, so if you somehow missed those episodes, go back and read them. You won't need them this week, but as for next week? Hmmm…

But for this week… **FUN!**

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' and 'Gravity Falls' belong to Disney and not me.

**-  
>Entry #373 [FSD503] - Pineing for Membership (03.31.14)<br>-**

The bus pulled away from the curb and Isabella walked away from it, heading for the building standing in front of her.

_So here I am, at the Mystery… Hack?_

Isabella pulled out a hard copy of the troop formation application form and saw that the name of the place was listed as the 'Mystery Shack.' And yet, the sign atop the shack-like residence was missing the S.

_Why do I have a bad feeling about this?_

"Greeting, suck- er, I mean, tourists!" shouted an old man, who came walking quickly up to her, sporting a salesman-like gleam in his eye. "The entrance fee is five bucks, or whatever's in your wallet. Preferably the latter…"

_This is Mabel's great uncle, Stan. Or, as I would later learn, Grunkle Stan. With a K._

_Yep. Got a bad feeling about this._

Isabella appeared confused. "Huh?"

Grunkle Stan stopped in front of Isabella. "You lost, kid?"

"Actually…" she spoke up, attempting to correct him.

He then saw her luggage and groaned in dismay. He turned around and started yelling back towards the house.

"**MABEL! COME OUT HERE AND GET YOUR FRIEND OR WHATEVER! I'M NO BABYSITTER!**"

_As Grunkle Stan walked away from me, I could hear him mumble some words that aren't suitable for a family-friendly audience._

Just as he reached the entryway, Mabel ran out, giggling gleefully as she sported a homemade Fireside Girl beret. She sprinted out towards Isabella.

"**YOU'RE HERE! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU SINCE FOREVER!**"

_The girl charging toward me - and if I didn't know any better, trying to take my head off with a flying tackle - is Mabel Pines. She is the one who submitted the application to form a new troop here in Gravity Falls. My first impression of her?_

_Somebody's feeding her too much sugar._

Thankfully, Mabel stopped right in front of Isabella, grinning with a smile so wide it appeared to extend completely from one ear to the other.

"I'm Mabel!" she said, introducing herself. "So are you here to say we can start a Fireside Girls troop? Are you? Are you? I've already got the proper hat!"

She pointed out her beret - which did not quite look the same as most standard Fireside berets.

"That beret's brown… and possibly made out of something one would find on the road… but the fact you've already knitted one shows enthusiasm! I like that!"

Mabel gasped. "You… you think so? So we can have a troop?"

Isabella giggled. "You can't get one just off of that alone. But it's a start! I'm here to verify everything on the application and make sure there are enough facilities and interest in the area to warrant establishing a new troop here. Okay?"

"Uh huh." Mabel put an arm around Isabella. "Trust me, after you see what we have to offer here, you'll be paying us to start a troop!"

"Now, now. This may be my first time doing this assessment for a prospective troop, but you should know Fireside Girls are of the highest moral character. In other words, we never take bribes."

"**IT'S NOT WORTH IT!**" Grunkle Stan could be heard yelling from the doorway.

Mabel laughed nervously. "Ha ha… ignore Grunkle Stan. He's such a kidder."

"**I AM NOT!**"

"Let's just get started." Mabel started pulling Isabella towards the shack. "I'm sure I have plenty to show you!"

* * *

><p><em>Boy, was I right about that remark.<em>

A few minutes later, Isabella found herself dressed up like Dorothy from 'The Wizard of Oz. Next to her was Mabel, who was in a brown bunny costume with antlers glued to either side of her head. Unevenly, mind you. The latter girl was also using a plastic knife to spread strawberry jam in random spots on the front of the former's dress.

_Before you ask, this is __**ONLY**__ the third-most awkward thing I've ever been asked to do as a Fireside Girl. Unlike the other two incidents, though, there __**ISN'T**__ a patch waiting for me at the end of this._

"So is this what you wanted to show me?" questioned Isabella. "You do this every day?"

"It's different from tour to tour," replied Mabel, shrugging.

"What… what are you supposed to be? Are you… a jackalope?"

Mabel giggled. "Jackalope? I'm not part-cantaloupe, and my name certainly isn't Jack."

"Um…"

"Here comes Grunkle Stan! Just do like I told you!"

Isabella dropped to the floor, with one eye staring at the ceiling and the other looking at the tour group being led in by Stan. Mabel stood leaning over her, with arms raised as if she were in the midst of attacking her.

"And this is the tale of the fabled jackalope and the poor girl who thought it was a good idea to pick berries. Ha! Take that, girl of the plains!"

_Feeling insulted, I was about to speak up and end this shameful ruse. But before I could…_

A loud, squeaky roar filled the air. Stan repelled in fright, and his attention turned first to a stunned and confused tour group, and then Mabel.

"Too much," he whispered to his great niece, "dial it back a little."

"But Grunkle Stan," she whispered back. "That wasn't me."

The roar permeated the air again, this time even louder. Everyone turned their heads to the source, back at the entrance. The shadows masked it just enough to hide what it was, but its sinister red eyes quickly scared the tourists into a state of panic, screaming for their lives as they tried running out, skipping the rest of the tour.

"**NO REFUNDS!**" Stan shouted, following the group.

Isabella broke her stance and ran back in the direction of the creature. It, in turn, hopped away. By the time the troop leader reached the doorway, the animal - or whatever it was - had vanished into the surrounding woods.

"What was that, what was that?" shouted Mabel, running out past Isabella and tripping over a small hole.

"Footprints!" declared Isabella, looking at the hole. "But what kind?"

"They're so cute!" cooed Mabel. "We should go after it!"

"I dunno. That doesn't sound like a good idea."

"It totally doesn't! Unless you have friends!"

Mabel grabbed Isabella by the arm and pulled her back into the Shack…

* * *

><p>…where Mabel's friends Candy and Grenda were waiting. They had made their own Fireside Girls' uniforms. But Grenda's was a little too small, showing off her belly button, while Candy's was a little too big, as apparent by her longer-than-needed sleeves.<p>

"We would be honored if you let us join your grand club!" said Candy, exuberantly.

"Yeah!" bellowed Grenda. "We'll be good Fireside Gals!"

"That's fine and all," Isabella stated, turning to Mabel, "but by-rules state all troops must have a minimum of four full-time members. You need one more."

She saw someone with curly hair in the corner of the shop with her back turned towards them.

"How about her?"

Mabel snickered, putting an arm around Isabella. "That's no girl. That's my brother, Dipper! **DIPPER! MY NEW FRIEND THINKS YOU LOOK LIKE A GIRL!**"

Dipper sighed as he turned around and walked over. "I wish you wouldn't say that to total strangers."

Dipper then turned to Isabella.

"My apologies," Isabella said with remorse. "I'm Isabella, and I'm here because your sister wants to start a Fireside Girls troop here in Gravity Falls."

Dipper looked confused. "A what?"

"We can talk about that later," Mabel cut in. "We got us a cute little animal to find!"

"I don't know if I'd call it cute, if the roar I heard from upstairs was any indication…"

"We'll call it an adventure. Or a mystery. Wait… an adventure of a mystery! And we can show Isabella we can be true Fireside Girls!"

"Again… what? You know what, never mind. I'll help, but only because I want to find out whatever this thing was."

"**YAY!**"

"**WHOA!**" Dipper shouted, being pulled out the door by Mabel.

* * *

><p><em>And with that, we were off to begin our search. As a Fireside Girls' troop leader, I took it upon myself to lead the way…<em>

"Let's see," Isabella said, down on one knee, examining the trail. "The tracks appear to lead this way."

"This way it is then," agreed Dipper.

Dipper took point, both to Isabella's surprise and chagrin.

_Ahem. I took it upon myself to lead the way…_

Isabella hurried up to Dipper's side and retook control, getting a half-step ahead of him.

"For your own safety, you'd better let me lead. I do have several Wilderness Survival Patches, after all."

Dipper, though, was not having any of that, and he picked up the pace until he was back in front.

"Well, I know these woods like the back of my head. Mostly, but… but a lot more than you do!"

_Ahem! I took it…_

"I am a Fireside Girls troop leader **AND** I've been a member since I was five! I know what I'm doing!"

Isabella took out her pocket-sized version of the Fireside Handbook, which was large even for its size. Dipper countered by pulling his hardcover journal out.

"And I've been here on summer vacation in this town long enough to know there is nothing normal here in Gravity Falls! Nothing you might have 'experience' in can train you for what's out here!"

The two stared each other down, while the others watched from afar.

_Never mind._

"We should stop this! Grenda hates violence!"

"We must do something to quell them, Mabel!"

Candy was right. Mabel marched forward and got in between her brother and Isabella.

"Dipper, you should let Isabella lead. She knows what she's doing."

"But…"

Mabel scoffed. "Fine. Isabella, let my brother lead. It's one of those 'I'm the man' deals."

"This has **NOTHING** to do with me being a maaaannn…"

The last word came out high-pitched and girly as Dipper sidestepped his way into a new paw print. Only this one was at least three times as big as the one the girls had seen originally outside the Shack.

"Hmmm…" Isabella murmured. "We might be dealing with more than one creature here."

_You may be thinking that, duh, obvious statement is totally obvious. But just in case you needed visual proof…_

The five kids were suddenly covered by a large object blocking sunlight from shining down on them. The object? An eight-foot tall brown-furred rabbit with antlers.

"**HEY!**" Mabel exclaimed. "It's that thing I am!"

Dipper flipped through his journal until he came to the entry he was looking for. He read it aloud, even as the creature let out a blood-curdling roar.

"'Jackalope. Half-rabbit. Half-moose. All bite. If you're lucky enough to encounter one, run, as its bites are lethal to the average youngster.'"

"You heard him!" barked Isabella. "Retreat!"

The five of them ran away, deeper into the woods, with the jackalope in hot pursuit.

"This way!" shouted Dipper, pointing in one direction.

The group started down that dirt path, but they were quickly cut off by a smaller, albeit just as fierce-looking, jackalope.

"Let's try the next one over!" suggested Isabella.

Isabella led them along that clearing, but there was a third jackalope awaiting them there. It took a swipe at the kids with its long arm, scattering the quintet.

"Dipper!" shouted Mabel. "I don't think they're cute anymore!"

"We need to get away from them!" exclaimed Isabella.

Dipper agreed. Luckily, he saw a hiding place up ahead.

"Cave! Up on the left! We should be safe there!"

He went in first, and the girls followed him. Dipper urged them to stay quiet as they listened for the jackalopes. He spotted a partial shadow of the one of them coming into view just near the cave entrance. But it never got any closer, as it ran off in a different direction, away from the cave. Once it was gone, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Talk about a close call," Dipper said.

Suddenly, there was a chattering noise in the cave, spooking him.

"**AH!**"

A few seconds later, Isabella illuminated the underground passage with a flashlight that she just happened to have on her. Aiming it in front of her, she found footprints similar in size to the ones left near the Mystery Shack. A half-dozen paw prints or so down the short trail led to the prints' owner… a jackalope. It hissed at the sight of bright light shining its way.

"Another one! We should get out before he calls the others…"

Dipper was giving sound advice, yet Isabella's instincts were telling her not to listen to him. The young jackalope was not charging towards them to attack; nor was he trying to scare them into opening a path so he could escape. It was just staying put, in the back of the cave.

Isabella began slowly approaching the creature.

"I wouldn't do that," warned Dipper.

"Yeah!" Mabel nodded in agreement. "If he bites you, you might turn into a **VAMPIRE!**"

"Mabel, that's bats… and also fantasy!"

"No, it's not, Dip- oh, yeah, right, bats make vampires. Yeah, my mistake."

Isabella completed her approach to the young jackalope, walking gingerly so as not to scare it. Once she got to it, she carefully knelt down next to him.

"Hello, little fella! What's wrong?"

She stared into his eyes for a few moments, and then started scanning his body. Isabella shined the light down onto his left knee, and found a sizable bruise just under it, on his lower leg.

"Aw, are you hurt? You must've banged your leg against a tree or something, running away from us. You poor thing. See, this is what scaring others gets you. Nothing but trouble."

The young creature's facade softened, and he nodded in agreement with Isabella's assessment.

"Tee hee," cooed Mabel, walking over and squatting down in front of the young jackalope. "You're a wascally wabbit, aren't you?"

"Technically, it's only a half rab-"

But before Isabella could finish correcting Mabel, two childish screams filled the air.

"**CANDY AND GRENDA!**" yelled Mabel, the first to finally realize the two were not with them.

"They're still out there!" assumed Dipper. "With the other jackalopes!"

Mabel grabbed the youngling and ran out of the cave, towards the frightened screams of her friends.

"**MABEL TO THE RESCUE!**"

"**MABEL!**" both Dipper and Isabella yelled, following her. "**WAIT!**"

* * *

><p>It did not take long for the trio to locate Candy and Grenda, whose backs were against the wall - literally - as they were surrounded by rocky walls on three sides and all the other jackalopes were blocking their only means of escape.<p>

"This was not the silent feeling of release I was expecting for my end," proclaimed Candy, shaking as she hugged Grenda in fear.

"Grenda agrees with what you say. Not the way!" Grenda said in turn, returning the hug likewise to Candy.

"We've got to do something!" Isabella and Dipper shouted, again, at the same time.

The two stared at each other briefly, then got to work coming up with a rescue plan. But Mabel did not bother to wait, as she ran forward, yelling a battle cry as she sprinted with the young, injured jackalope cradled in her arms.

"**MABEL!**" Dipper cried out to his twin sister. "What's she doing?"

Mabel ran up to the jackalopes, who turned around to face her after picking up the scent of both the 12-year old girl and the child she was carrying.

"**I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT!**"

She put the youngling down on the ground and then took three steps back. She held out her arms spread eagle, as if offering herself up. The largest jackalope hopped towards her, as Dipper sprinted in and got in front of his sister.

"You want her, ugly? **YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST!**"

The eight-foot fatherly jackalope appeared poised to oblige Dipper's request. He then picked the child up by the scruff of his neck and placed him on the next-largest jackalope, which was the mother, before beginning to berate the child. That set off the mother, who yelled back at the father for his actions. They continued to squabble as they hopped off, with the rest of the family departing with them.

Once the creatures had all disappeared from sight, Mabel embraced Dipper in a tender hug. Candy and Grenda walked over and expressed their gratitude, repeating Dipper's name over and over again, in a cheering fashion. Isabella stood back for a moment and watched the group celebrate.

_After seeing Mabel's spontaneous act, I knew there was only one course of action to take._

"Mabel Pines?" Isabella called out, getting the brunette's attention. "There's one thing I have to say to you…"

* * *

><p>"<strong>WE'RE GOING TO BE FIRESIDE GIRLS!<strong>" Mabel screamed.

Mabel, Candy, and Grenda all toasted in success, gently tapping their punch-filled styrofoam cups together. They then promptly spilled about half of it on the floor as they squealed in celebration. A few feet away, Isabella was on her laptop, filling in her part of the troop formation application as she sat on the floor.

"**ISABELLA! JOIN US!**" the girls shouted at her.

"In a minute! Just gotta finish this up."

As Isabella did just that, Dipper trotted over to chat with her.

"I'm a little bummed we couldn't keep the jackalope. At least until I had enough to fill out a page or two of my journal, but, heh heh, I'm glad you're letting her form a troop. Still not quite sure what a Fireside Girl is, but as long as Mabel's happy, then so am I."

"Aww! She's lucky to have a supportive brother like you."

Dipper smiled. "Thanks!"

It was a heartwarming moment… for about all of two seconds.

"Oh!" Mabel said with a childish giggle. "Looks like Dipper's got a new **GIRLFRIEND**!"

Both Dipper and Isabella were taken aback.

"She's not my…"

"I already have a…"

Dipper got up, determined to squash the ruse right there and then. He was rewarded with a pillow to the face. He quickly grabbed one of his own and tried to get his sister back. Mabel, naturally, ducked, and it hit Grenda in her side.

"**PILLOW FIGHT!**"

Grenda and Candy each got their own weapon of fluffy goodness and suddenly there were feathers flying everywhere. Isabella kept her distance… until an errant throw sent a pillow flying into her face.

"Ooh, you're all gonna get it now!" she said in a half-mocking, half-threatening tone.

Isabella leaped into the fray, saving sending off the application until the melee was over.

_It looks like I'm welcoming Mabel and her girls to the Fireside Girls in style… with a good old fashioned pillow fight! Talk about spontaneous initiation rites._

_Oh, and if anyone asks… one, I won, and two… well, there's no two 'cause there's nothing between us. Nothing!_

_Anyway, congratulations Mabel, and hopefully the next time I see you, you'll be in uniform as the proud leader of a spanking new Fireside Girls' troop! Do us proud, girl!_

**End Entry**

**Next Week: **Spring has sprung, and Ginger has finally drummed up the courage to formally ask Baljeet to go steady. But is it worth the risk, considering she's been rejected once before? Find out in the next "Fireside Diaries" episode!


	56. Ginger Blossoms

An alarm clock started blaring, though only briefly, as a hand reached over and hit the snooze button. Ginger rose from bed, stretching her arms up towards the ceiling. Her eyes immediately turned towards the calendar, and she was reminded that the page was turned to March. It had been for several weeks. But for some odd reason, this particular day in March meant extra significance to her.

"What's this? Could it be?"

She made her way over to one of her bedroom windows and lifted it open. As she gazed up out into the front yard, she took note of the visual signs of this day.

"Nippy, not chilly, temperatures… cherry blossoms beginning to bloom… and no snow! Could it be? Could it **REALLY** be?"

She looked down and saw her older sister Stacy, in the midst of rolling out the garbage can to the curb.

"Dearest sister!" she yelled out to her. "Is it truly the first day of Spring?"

"Well, not that you **HAVEN'T** been asking each of the past seven days, Ginger… **BUT** today really, really, **REALLY** is the…"

Ginger squealed, then slammed her window shut, heading off to get ready.

"You could've let me finish first!" huffed Stacy, putting her arms on her hips.

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, Ginger was down in the dining room, bopping up and down in her seat as she and Stacy were waiting for breakfast to be served. Their mother walked in from the kitchen a few seconds later, holding a plate of waffles in one hand and a bottle of hot maple syrup in the other.<p>

"I'm glad my two girls are up so early on such a bright Saturday morning instead of sleeping in. What's the occasion?"

Stacy answered first. "Candace and I are gonna try to embrace this new workout dance craze all the cool kids are talking about. Unlike the last two Saturdays, I think today it might actually happen!"

"Good for you. And you, Ginger?"

"I'm gonna confess my love to the boy of my dreams!"

Stacy rolled her eyes. "And here we go…"

"I know the first time things didn't exactly work out as planned. But, like they say, time heals all wounds, and I'm ready to give it another go!"

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Dr. Hirano. "Just remember…"

"Mom!" Ginger cried, cutting her off.

"I was gonna say be home by 4:30, 'cause we're going out for dinner tonight. Why… what did you think I was gonna say?"

"Oh." Ginger blushed, sheepishly. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

So I thought we were done with Ginger having the fourth episode every season. But I guess old habits die hard. Also, with this entry, as you can tell by the cold open, spring is here, as the march to the finale begins in earnest!

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney and not me.

**Prerequisite (read the following first before reading this):  
><strong>- Entry #536 ("Fireside Diaries," Episode 502)

**-  
>Entry #571 [FSD504] - Ginger Blossoms (04.07.14)<br>-**

_Entry #571 - Written by Ginger Hirano_

_It's spring at last! And you know what that means, right? It's time to find a cute boy to crush on! Thankfully, I already have one!_

Ginger was looking through a scrapbook of hers, and to no surprise, all of the pictures inside were of Baljeet. Or herself. But, notably, none of the two of them together.

Ginger was planning on fixing that.

_Everyone knows that I've been longing to finally admit my love for Baljeet, the cute Indian boy with a penchant for making color-coded schedules and solving calculus-level equations. And, much as I loathe to admit it, I had tried to once before…_

* * *

><p>Baljeet closed the door to his bedroom, and then turned to face the girls. Holly was sitting backwards on Baljeet's deck chair, while Adyson and Ginger had parked themselves on his bed. The Indian boy took a deep breath, and then began...<p>

"It has come to my attention that there is a disagreement in regards to which girl I desire to have relations with. Well, allow me to clear the air."

Holly handed Baljeet a rose, and then stepped back to allow him to make his decision, at his own pace.

The young dark-haired boy took a few deep breaths to keep his nerves in check, and then he turned to face the pair that was sitting on his bed.

He extended his arms forward, holding the flower out in front of him...

"Do you accept this rose?"

...and in Adyson's direction. The brunette was visibly stunned.

"M-m-me?"

Baljeet nodded. Adyson took the rose and sniffed it. She then wrapped her arms around Baljeet and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you," she whispered, into his left ear.

Baljeet had made his decision, and Adyson was pleased about the result. But what about Ginger? Adyson let go of Baljeet and then turned to face her friend. Surprisingly, she was still sitting there quietly, having not reacted to the decision at all.

"Ginger?"

"I… I'll just let myself out."

Outside, Ginger had just closed the front door behind her, and she quickly got onto the sidewalk so she could begin the lonely walk back home. Alone.

"Just have to keep telling myself… if Baljeet's happy, I'm happy…"

Ginger walked away, continuously telling herself that not being with Baljeet was not the end of the world. But she could not help but take one last look over her shoulder, back at Baljeet's house…

* * *

><p><em>Although that "attempt" couldn't have gone any worse, the "good" news is that Baljeet was only with Adyson for a few months. Not good for either of them, but good for me. I mean, not that I wanna sound like I was celebrating their break-up, but at the same time, I felt like the reason they separated was because they both believed they were meant to be with other people. And there was definitely a part of me that hoped Baljeet's true significant other…<em>

…_was me._

_But I wanted to bide my time. I didn't want to be the rebound girl. I didn't want to hurt Adyson's feelings. I didn't want to feel like a quick hook-up meant I truly was Baljeet's second choice. And I… really need to tell Isabella to stop showing me those junior Spanish telenovelas. Good for television drama. Bad for actual romantic advice. But it has been a few months._

_Surely that's enough time for everyone to have moved on._

_Right?_

Inside the secret forest headquarters, Ginger had just finished explaining her reasoning to a small group that included Milly, Katie, and Abigail. There was a delayed response from the trio, but one of positivity, as they applauded Ginger for showing her courageousness to try again.

"We were waiting for this moment," Milly stated truthfully.

"Yeah," agreed Katie with a nod. "If you think Baljeet is cute, then who are we to judge?"

"So you girls will help me?" asked Ginger.

"Uh huh!" they said in unison.

Abigail, wanting to feel included, politely raised her hand to interject herself into the conversation.

"If I may, Ginger, I'd like to volunteer my help as well. Getting a new chance to ask the boy of your dreams to go steady? Sigh… finding true love. It's like one of the best parts of going through puberty!"

Katie eeped, ducking behind the decorative stove pipe oven in the corner, while Ginger held up her hands in front of her in a protective stance. Both carefully turned to Milly, expecting her to freak out.

But she was surprisingly calm.

"D-D-Did I say something wrong?" queried Abigail, a bit confused.

"Milly?" Katie slowly came out and walked back over to her best friend.

"You **DO** know Abigail is right," Milly replied, finally speaking up. "Another part of puberty is coming to terms with the fact that it happens to everyone, and to let life take its course."

Abigail was impressed. "Wow. I guess there's still a lot I have to learn about you girls."

"Mmm-hmm! Have you read the one where Ginger became a thief?"

Ginger turned to the exit and opened the door. Milly saw it and stopped, thinking she had offended her.

"Sorry, Ginger! I didn't mean…"

"I know. But you reminded me that before I confess my love to Baljeet - for the second time - there's something I need to take care of. Or, rather… **TWO** somethings."

Before any of them could ask for specifics, Ginger closed the door, leaving them in the dark.

* * *

><p><em>Before I could approach Baljeet and ask him to go steady with a clear conscience, there were two people I had to okay it with.<em>

_No, not his parents! Though I suppose that will come. Eventually. When we're in college at an Ivy League school together…_

_Too far, Ginger! Too far! That's years away. Nothing happens 'til you make the first step. That gigantic first step. But to do that, again, I had two people to okay it with._

_The first?_

Ginger's first stop was Danville Park, where a group of kids were having an informal meeting disguised as a picnic. Each of the six was of different ages, which made it odd that they were all hanging out together. Unless you went to Danville Elementary and were aware that all those present were all of the current class presidents. And leading the gathering was the sixth-grade president - the de-facto Student Council president - who was making sure the proceedings were going smoothly.

_Adyson._

As Ginger made her way closer, she could hear her friend - and fellow Fireside Girl and former rival-in-love - address the younger kids.

"…and that's why I think we need to rise up, and motivate the rest of the school to go out there and sell, sell, **SELL**!"

Focusing her gaze on Adyson, Ginger saw that she was holding up a brochure with Easter-themed candies for sale. She got close enough that Adyson spotted her, but the brunette continued her pitch, confident Ginger would wait for her to finish.

"We all know the computer lab is severely outdated! If we want to ensure our future success, not to mention the future of the kids to come after us, don't we owe it to ourselves, as student leaders, to push our fellow classmates to sell a ton of chocolates so we can finally bring our lab into the 21st Century? I say yes!"

The other presidents applauded in agreement.

"So, before I pass out brochures and grade-specific goals, any questions?"

The first-grade president raised his hand. Or, rather, his plastic-wrapped peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"I don't like crusts!"

Adyson blinked. "That's not a question."

He thought for a second and then spoke up again.

"Could you please cut off the crusts? I don't like crusts!"

Adyson groaned, but she complied with the request. In taking the sandwich to slice off the crusts, he gave him the materials to pass out as a trade. Adyson made her way over to a nearby bench, reaching into the picnic basket she had brought and pulling out a plastic knife. Ginger decided this was the time to cut in.

"Hi, Adyson!"

"Oh! Hi, Ginger! Have a seat!"

Ginger complied, as Adyson unwrapped the sandwich and began cutting off the edges.

"So, what's on your mind?"

_Adyson had a smile on her face, so I thought it was okay to cut right to the chase._

"Baljeet."

_Considering how quickly that smile became a frown, though… not so sure now._

"Ginger. I don't know how many times you want me to say it. We're. Not. Together. Any. More."

Ginger started twiddling her thumbs, still not quite convinced. "You really, really, really, **REALLY…**"

"**GINGER!**"

Adyson snapped for a second, throwing off her concentration and making her accidentally cut off an entire corner of the sandwich rather than just the bread crust. Her outburst also got the attention of the other presidents, who looked over to see if she was okay. Adyson took a deep breath, grabbed a napkin to wipe her hands with, and then pulled Ginger away, out of hearing reach of the others.

"Ginger? What's this really about?"

"Well… I'm thinking about asking Baljeet. To go steady. You know… like the first time? With him and me and you…"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember."

"I just wanna make sure. This isn't a stunt… you're not doing all this 'save the computers' stuff to impress Baljeet. Are you?"

"This isn't for Baljeet, Ginger, although it could benefit him. It's for the entire school! You've seen those ancient artifacts the school calls computers! They need to be replaced."

Adyson smiled once more.

"Besides, the break-up between me and Baljeet was mutual. We were just too busy for each other. And it's not like anything's changed since then in terms of our schedules. And even it something had, I have no intention of getting back together with him. And I'm sure he feels the same way."

Ginger's eyes lit up. "So you mean…"

"Yeah. I give you my blessing… or whatever people do when they say it's okay…"

"**EEE! THANKS, ADYSON!**"

Ginger embraced Adyson with a big hug, and then ran off with a spring in her step. Adyson shook her head, giggling.

"Heh. Finally she gets it. But… why does it feel like I'm the big sister letting a friend date my brother?"

Suddenly, Adyson felt a tug at her shirt. She turned and saw the first-grade president holding his sandwich with the now cut-off corner. Again, Adyson frowned.

"And now I feel like the about-to-lose-her-job babysitter."

* * *

><p><em>With Adyson giving me the okay, that only left one other person between me and the cutie of my dreams!<em>

Ginger watched through a pair of binoculars as that other person popped somebody's bubble. Bubble gum, that is, with a toothpick, sending the poor victim running away and crying for mommy. The husky troublemaker snickered with glee.

_Buford._

Ginger put the item away and crossed the street to meet up with the bully, who decided to take a break from his so-called day job to lick a lollipop. Which, knowing him, he probably took from a smaller kid earlier in the day.

_I saved Buford for last because, deep inside, I knew he'd be the tougher one to let go. Don't ask me why, but Buford and Baljeet has this bond that appears unbreakable. Symbiotic, even._

"Whatcha want?" he asked as Ginger approached.

Ginger gulped, but stood her ground as she gave him an answer.

"I want you to go away!"

Buford could not believe she was threatening him. It was so unbelievable that he started laughing.

"This… this is about poindexter, isn't it? Oh, the same song and dance with you and 'Jeet…"

"You spend too much time with Baljeet! You… you should let other people be around him too, you know?"

"And why's that, girl?"

Ginger came out and said it. "**BECAUSE YOU DON'T LOVE HIM LIKE I LOVE HIM!**"

Buford stopped sucking on his lollipop, sticking it back in his pocket minus the wrapper.

"Look here! I don't know what you've heard, but love is blind! Blind as one of them winged thingies they call bats! Why would I ruin my street cred getting involved in icky gooey mushy romance?"

Ginger was baffled. "What are you talking about?"

Buford threw his arms up in frustration. "Fine. You throw a hard bargain! Gimme five bucks and I'll blow off the rest of my plans with Baljeet for the weekend! So you can do that looking into each other's eyes or whatever junk!"

_Wait! I thought this would be a challenge! Could it… could it really be this easy to get Buford to back off?_

Ginger did not waste a second more, pulling out a five dollar bill and handing it to Buford. He snatched it and started laughing at her.

"**HA!** Joke's on you! I'm going out of town the rest of the weekend! I would've let you make mush with Baljeet for free! Later, chump!"

With that, Buford headed off, five dollars richer.

_I have no idea what just happened…_

Ginger started grinning from ear to ear.

…_but just like that, the road was clear! With no one else in my way, I could finally, for the second time, achieve my lifetime - as of this moment - goal._

* * *

><p><em>Ask Baljeet to go steady.<em>

Ginger rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer. The door opened soon thereafter, and she was let in by Baljeet's mom.

"Let me just let Baljeet know you're here."

With that, she went upstairs. As Ginger waited, she started to get nervous.

"Just be cool. Baljeet'll be happy to see me. No wait, Baljeet will be happy to see me. Remember, he convulses at the sound of contractions. What else… maybe I should compliment him on his attentiveness to detail? No, that might be a bit much. Speaking of much… or not enough… why did I come here in my Fireside uniform? You went clothes shopping two weeks ago for a reason, duh!"

Ginger continued to wait, unsure of what was taking so long. More thoughts began to race through her mind.

"Am I being too forward by asking him to go steady at his house? After all, we were here the first time. Maybe I should've had him come to mine? No, that's even more forward! Did I even prepare what words I'm, ahem, I am going to tell him? I should have brought him a gift! A calculator! No, he probably has a bunch of those. Protractor? Compass? Some other math-related tool? Is my hair alright? Maybe I should have worn make-up. No, wait, 11 year olds are too young for that. Or are they? This was a mistake. I can't take rejection a second time. I should go. No, I should stay! You worked so hard for this moment!"

"Go ahead, Ginger."

She snapped back to reality upon hearing Mrs. Tjinder's voice.

_At that very moment, all my thoughts were replaced by four simple letters._

_W.W.S.D._

_What would Stacy do?_

"Excuse me," Ginger said, ducking around a corner.

Once out of view, she dialed her sister's number. Stacy answered after only one ring.

"Can't talk, Ging. Perry's here."

"Wait! I need some dating advi-Perry? I thought you were still dating…"

"No time. Gotta go! Bye!"

And Stacy hung up just like that.

_Act like a flake, that's what. Also, I should probably ask her about whom that Perry is. Do I know him?_

_Whatever. If my own sis can't help me, then it's up to me to wing it!_

* * *

><p>Heading upstairs, Ginger pushed the ajar door into Baljeet's room open.<p>

"Ginger! What a pleasant surprise! Please, come in. And put those goggles on."

He pointed to a pair sitting on the shelf of a nearby bookshelf. Ginger did as she was told.

"Are we not a little old to play pretend? Or… or is it a little young?"

A bit befuddled, she shook off the thought as her eyes gazed upon a little project Baljeet was working on. It involved a number of potatoes hooked up together with an assortment of wires. About two five-pound bags worth.

"Keep those spectacles on those reticles! One wire planted in the wrong place and this room will be planted in the salad of the state of Idaho!"

"You mean potato salad?"

"That is exactly what I said. Why are you… **WAIT! DO NOT TOUCH THAT!**"

Ginger saw a wire out of place and decided to plug it in. Suddenly, everything became white. But not because all of the potatoes had exploded, but because all the potatoes were now generating enough power to light a couple dozen 60 watt light bulbs, in parallel, all at once. Both Baljeet and Ginger shielded their eyes until they were used to the brightness, and even then they dared not to look directly at the bulbs.

"Ha ha!" Baljeet shouted triumphantly. "I am now one step closer to generating enough power to run City Hall for a year! Think of how much money the Mayor will save in energy costs!"

"Wow." Ginger gasped, amazed. "That is incredible."

"Oh? Is it? Well… it… it is nothing for someone of my high intellect."

"Oh."

"Also, I know what has happened to Buford for the next 48 hours of non-educational time. Besides, the only thing more embarrassing than getting bullied is getting bullied by a girl."

"Oh." This time, Ginger sound disappointed. Not in the being turned down to bully, but… "I will just let myself out."

She turned to leave, but she felt Baljeet tap on her shoulder. She turned back around and was shocked to see him offering her an unused potato.

"My apologies. Would you take this in lieu of a flower as thanks?"

Ginger did not know how to respond. "Um…"

"Or you can stay over for lunch! We are having curry!"

Ginger giggled. "I'd… I mean, I would love that."

The two left the room hand-in-hand, leaving Baljeet's heavy-duty potato-powered generator running.

* * *

><p>"Wait!" Milly shouted, cutting into the story. "Katie, Abigail, and I come up with this great plan to get him to notice you that involves cake, fireworks, and an elephant, and all you do is plug in a potato and you two are a couple?"<p>

Ginger sighed with happiness.

"Well," Abigail spoke up, "they do say love works in mysterious ways."

Katie, though, was not as sold as the other two. "Pardon me for being doubtful, but there's no way…"

She was interrupted by the ringing of Ginger's phone.

"**IT'S BALJEET!**"

That was all the convincing Katie needed, as Ginger started chatting with her new boyfriend on the phone.

"They really are a couple! He gave her his cell number!"

The trio gathered around Ginger, silently yet visibly eavesdropping as the Japanese girl had her first phone conversation as a girlfriend.

_Huh. So I guess the lesson here is if you can't think of the perfect way to ask a boy to go steady, just wing it!_

**End Entry**

**Next Week: **When the eggs for an Easter Day hunt go missing, the girls - with the help of Lil' Spark Melissa - must find out where they disappeared to and who's responsible for taking them… on the next episode of "Fireside Diaries."


	57. The Spark of a Fireside

Isabella and Holly ascended the ten-story brick building via the fire escape. As they proceeded higher, they began to hear noises. Mechanical ones that seemed out of place atop a multi-purpose building in the downtown area.

"What do you think is going on up there?" Holly asked, only a step behind Isabella as they reached the sixth floor.

"I don't know," Isabella replied, "but we've got to get back those eggs!"

A floor below them, the third and youngest girl of their group, six-year old Melissa - member of the local Lil' Sparks troop - was struggling to keep up with her older, longer-legged companions. Feeling concerned, Isabella stopped and peered over the railing to look down to check on her.

"Melissa! You okay?"

The blonde pigtailed girl stopped, both to catch her breath and to answer her idol.

"I'm… fine…"

Without warning, whatever was going on on the roof was reaching its climax, as there was a loud crash, followed by a shaking. Not of the building, but of the rickety, not-up-to-code fire escape. Caught off-guard, Melissa lost her balance and stumbled off the end of the outdoor stairwell, where there was no railing.

"**MELISSA!**"

"**AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH…**"

_Hold on! Everyone knows that a proper story does not start at its end. It starts at its beginning. And you would all be leaving terrible words and phrases because a Fireside Diary entry started and ended with the tragic fall of the six-year old narrator!_

_As Isabella always says, "you've got to have context!" So I will give you context!_

_Whatever that means!_

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

So, for the first - and only - time, the "Fireside Diaries" covers a holiday twice. It's Easter, and by popular demand, we've got a pint-sized Lil' Spark narrating this second offering… which isn't a sequel to the first Easter special (back in Season 2), but there is a callback to it in here.

Thanks to partner555 and anyone else who suggested having Melissa write an entry! This one's for you!

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney and not me.

**-  
>Entry #582 [FSD505] - The Spark of a Fireside (04.14.14)<br>-**

_Entry #582 - Written by Melissa of the Lil' Sparks  
>(Transcribed word-for-word by Isabella Garcia-Shapiro)<em>

_It all began earlier that day! Easter day! No, wait… the day before Easter day! At City Hall, no less!_

Kids of all ages, both literally and figuratively, were gathering on the lawn in front of City Hall. The literal ones were anxious and excited to participate in the Tri-State Area's Annual Easter Egg Hunt, while the figurative ones were there to watch their children or younger siblings take part. The ages of those in the hunt this year were as young as four and as old as 12. None of the Fireside Girls were participating - they were put in charge of final egg painting and hiding all the eggs - but the junior version of the Fireside Girls, known as the Lil' Sparks were.

_I was ready to go, and I couldn't help by show that off to Isabella, my Fireside mentor!_

"This is my first Easter Egg Hunt, Isabella!" Melissa exclaimed, jumping around enthusiastically.

Isabella giggled. "Yep! Last year was supposed to be your first. Too bad you caught that bug that made you sick."

"I wanted to be extra healthy this year, so my parents had me take my vitamins! Neat, huh?"

Isabella smiled at her 'little sister.'

"I'm gonna do you proud! I'm gonna find the mostest of eggs!"

"That's great! Just remember, though… today isn't about winning the hunt. It's about everyone enjoying themselves and having fun."

Melissa nodded. "Okay!"

"That's my girl!"

_We would've talked more, but then the big man everyone calls the Major started talking. Oh, sorry, the Mayor! That's the one. Doof and Smurf? Yes, Doof and Smurf._

"Greetings, one and all, and welcome to the 82nd Annual Tri-State Area Easter Egg Hunt!" Mayor Doofenshmirtz said to the crowd of hundreds. "For years, boys, girls, and other young people have come to search out these eggs of grandeur, be they of yolk or plastic! And this year is no different! There are dozens of eggs out there for you young ones to find! But, most importantly, there are three big prize eggs hidden out there amongst the regular ones."

Everyone listened with modest interest.

"In one is a bronze token, which may be redeemed for a free kids' meal, not to exceed $10 including tax, at Paul Bunyan's Pancake Haus! In the second is…"

Melissa whispered to Isabella. "He didn't do the jingle! 'Paaaaaaaul Bunyan's, where food is good!' But not too good, eh?"

Isabella giggled softly.

"…and within the third and final egg is the grandest prize of all! A golden token, which rewards one of you the chance to be kid mayor of Danville for a day!"

Melissa danced with glee. "Isabella! You think I could be a good kid mayor?"

"With your work with the Lil' Sparks? No doubt!"

The two high-fived each other. At the podium, Mayor Doofenshmirtz was leaning over to whisper something to his secretary, Melanie. And she did not look too pleased to hear his comment.

"With that," the Mayor said into the microphone once more, "let the 82nd Annual Tri-State Area Easter Egg Hunt **BEGIN**!"

* * *

><p>In what seemed like just seconds later but in reality was five minutes afterwards, the kids were set loose into the search area, which included a good portion of downtown Danville. As a result, most of the participants were accompanied by a parent, a guardian, an older sibling, or an older friend. This was to keep them safe and out of streets that were remaining open during the course of the hunt.<p>

Naturally, Melissa had chosen Isabella as her watchdog. Holding a wicker basket by the handle with one hand and Isabella's hand with the other, the two proceeded from the starting line. They forged a path south of City Hall, in contrast to the majority of the others, who went north or west.

_Teaming with Isabella was the only way to go. After all, we've grown so close over the past year. Now, one might think that's cheating, because although Isabella didn't personally hide any of the eggs, she did come up with some of the locations. But she was pretty quiet the whole time, not giving me any hints at all. Not that I wanted any, because like the Fireside Girls, we Lil' Sparks have a Code of Honor to uphold._

Melissa was seen asking Isabella which way to go at an intersection, and the older girl appeared to not be favoring any direction.

_Good thing I've been studying those things called… inflections, I think? You know, telling truth from not just by the tone of someone's voice? It'll help when I become a Fireside Girl in a couple years. One of the first patches I'll earn will be the Inflection Intention Patch. Tee hee._

With or without the little help Isabella was giving, Melissa appeared positive to be closing in on one. As Melissa searched around a statue just outside Danville Park, Isabella got a phone call from one of her troop mates.

"I know you're here somewhere," Melissa said to herself. "I can feel it!"

But her intuition was thrown off after hearing Isabella's voice raise unexpectedly while she was on the phone.

"The eggs are **GONE**? Gretchen, how can that be?"

Suddenly, Isabella heard a beeping sound.

"Hold on, Gretch, got another call…"

She put Gretchen on hold and answered the second call. Seconds later, she received the same news from Milly.

"The ones you hid are missing? You sure another kid just didn't find them already?"

Melissa stopped her search, and watched as Isabella fielded calls from each of the other girls in the troop. And they all were reporting the same thing.

_I saw the look on Isabella's face as she talked on the phone. She looked upset. All that work they put into hiding the eggs, and someone's spoiling all the fun?_

Isabella put a hand over her phone and looked down at Melissa. Her usual calm, commanding facade had been replaced with one of worry and fright.

"Melissa! Did you find the egg?"

_I knew something was wrong when Isabella told me right there and then that there was an egg hidden in the statue._

_There was supposed to be._

Isabella quickly searched the statue. She knew which egg she was looking for, as this was one of the ones she had picked the location for.

"No way!" she said aloud, after not finding it. "Based at the speed we were walking and the few kids that went in this general direction… no one should've beaten us here. So… where's the egg?"

Melissa reached up and tugged Isabella's skirt. "Isabella? Is everything okay?"

_I thought Isabella was going to answer me. But instead, her face frowned and she looked like she was gonna bust someone._

"Gretchen? Gather the girls. We've got a mystery to solve."

* * *

><p><em>It didn't take Isabella and me long to get back to City Hall. When we did, though, her troop had already gathered up people they deemed as persons of interest. Which I think means they think they might have done it?<em>

The suspects were lined up across the street from City Hall, just out of sight and earshot of the crowd on the lawn and the small trickle of kids who were returning, having learned that something had gone wrong with the hunt. Isabella was pacing back and forth in front of the group as Adyson, Holly, and Melissa looked on.

_I saw whom Isabella's friends had gotten, and was trying to figure out if any of them could be the guy. I didn't really know any of them that well, but I had seen them around from time to time. The rabbit boy who always carried a blender with him. The girl who once owned a Mary McGuffin doll… for all of five seconds. The boy who always appears in every ball pit I've ever seen._

_And then there's…_

"Buford," Isabella called the bully at the end of the line out, narrowing her eyes. "What a coincidence."

"You got nothing on me, girly! I do a lot of things, but swiping Easter eggs? That's like swiping Christmas presents. Even bullies have their limits!"

_Isabella is normally right. About everything, as far as I know. But, in this case, though, something did not feel right. And I had to say something._

"I don't think he did it!" Melissa spoke up, eliciting gasps from the other girls.

"Better listen to pint-size over there," Buford said, smirking. "She's the only one of you unis with a brain."

"Hush!" Isabella snapped at Buford before turning to Melissa. "Melissa, what makes you say that?"

Melissa shrugged. "I dunno. I just know he didn't do it."

"But he's got a motive! He was banned from the Easter Egg Hunt last year after throwing an egg at another kid last year."

Buford interjected to defend himself. "One, that was no kid; it was Baljeet. And two, he had it coming!"

"**I DID NOT!**" Baljeet yelled from off-screen.

"Hey, you're not supposed to be in this entry! You girls better not be paying him overtime!"

Isabella rolled her eyes, and then again turned to Melissa.

"I'm sorry, Melissa. But with no other suspects and no evidence suggesting otherwise, we've gotta collar Buford as our man."

With that, the other kids were allowed to leave. Adyson and Holly each grabbed one of Buford's arms, in order to pull him across the street to City Hall to turn him in for his crime.

_I knew this wasn't right, but Isabella was right in that I needed proof. But where could I get some from?_

_Little did I know at the time that it was going to fly into my face._

A rather large feather floated into Melissa's face, having fallen from the sky.

"Huh?"

The young girl looked up to see where it had come from, just in time to see something large block out her view of the sun, covering her and the others in shadow. Isabella and the others noticed it too, and their attention turned skyward.

"I don't think that's from around here," commented Holly, not recognizing the animal flying above.

Isabella pulled out a pair of binoculars and used them to get a closer look.

"It looks like a condor. A huge one! And… possibly man-made? Those feather arrangements don't look familiar to me at all."

_The only thing we knew was that it was biiiiiiig! And it was flying away from the center of downtown. And…_

Upon closer inspection with the binoculars, Isabella caught sight of the condor holding something in her talons. A straw basket filled with eggs. Many that Isabella recognized as ones that were hidden for the hunt based on the designs of those that were painted over.

"Girls. I think we found our egg snatcher."

As the condor flew due southwest, letting the sun douse the girls with its rays once more, Isabella sprang into action, chasing after it.

_That bird was the bad guy. And if Isabella was gonna track her down, then so was I!_

Melissa followed Isabella without a word. Adyson and Holly looked at each other, shrugged, and then went off as well, leaving Buford a free man.

"**HA!**" he raised his arms in triumph. "Bullies one, goody-goody girls nothing!"

* * *

><p>Borrowing transportation from a nearby bike rental store, the girls followed the giant condor, pedaling out of the perimeter of the area designated for the event - marked by patrol cars and yellow tape - and continuing towards the outskirts of downtown. Melissa was sharing a bicycle with Isabella, holding on tightly as the troop leader pushed the pace, determined not to lose their target.<p>

Unfortunately, a red light stopped them in the tracks.

"Come on, come on!" Isabella muttered, a bit impatiently.

As they waited for the traffic signal to change, they watched a youngster dressed as the Easter Bunny ran in front of them, from right to left, via the crosswalk. He was being chased by a bunch of orphans. Adyson seemed to recognize some of them, and her face turned to one of concern.

For the poor kid stuck in the costume.

"Go."

Adyson heard Isabella's one-word command and nodded in compliance. When the light turned green, Adyson turned left to go after the Easter Bunny and the orphans, while the others continued their chase of the condor.

"What's that all about?" Melissa asked, seeing Adyson leave. "Where's she going?"

Isabella smirked. "Let's just say Addy's got her own Easter wrong to right."

_I wouldn't find out until later how bad her Easter was last year. Looks like she wanted to make sure no other Easter Bunny would suffer the same fate._

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, the condor decided to land on the rooftop of a ten-story building. Seeing this, the girls stopped to plan their next course of action.<p>

"Now what?" Holly asked.

The building in question had a coffee shop and a hardware store that made up the ground floor, with apartments sitting above from the second floor up. The only way up appeared to be a single entrance which had a key code lock that limited entry to residents only.

"There's gotta be another way."

_Isabella was right… again. We just had to find it._

Melissa wandered off to the nearby alley on the right side of the building. There she found a fire escape.

"Isabella! Look, look!"

Isabella and Holly came over in a hurry.

"Good thing, Melissa!"

Isabella went over to the ladder leading to the start of the stairs, which was hanging from the second floor.

"Holly!"

Holly quickly got on Isabella's back, and then onto her shoulders. Isabella stood up so that Holly could attempt to reach for the ladder.

"Ungh! Almost… almost… not quite…"

Melissa started jumping up and down. "Let me help! Let me help!"

Isabella agreed, even though she did not visibly signal it in any way. She squatted down once more, holding onto Holly's legs so that she would not fall. Melissa climbed up the older girls' backs, making it onto Holly's shoulders.

"Careful now…" Isabella lightly warned, as she stood up.

Melissa's arms were just long enough from her current height that she could grab the ladder. But her first attempt to latch on failed. She tried a second time, swiping at the ladder but again failing to get a grip. On the third attempt, she got a firm hold of it with both hands.

"I got it!"

"Pull!" Isabella told her. "Pull it down as hard as you can!"

Melissa tugged with all her might. They could all hear it give her resistance, creaking as it slowly began to budge from its somewhat rusted position. Finally, on the sixth tug or so, the ladder finally moved, sliding down in such a fast speed that the bottom of it almost landed right on Isabella's feet. She, luckily, was able to move back a few inches in the nick of time.

Melissa jumped from Holly's shoulders to the ladder, gripping the rung tightly. She then climbed up to the top and safely onto the second floor with ease. Holly and Isabella followed soon after.

"Alright! Let's catch us that egg thief!"

As to remind the girls that it was still there, the condor squawked loudly. The girls began their ascent, with Isabella taking point. As they made their way up, floor by floor, they heard strange mechanical noises coming from above.

"What do you think is going on up there?"

"I don't know, but we've got to get back those eggs!"

The duo then noticed their younger counterpart was struggling to keep up, as she was now a floor behind them.

"Melissa! You okay?"

The blonde pigtailed girl stopped, both to catch her breath and to answer her idol.

"I'm… fine…"

Without warning, whatever was going on on the roof was reaching its climax, as there was a loud crash, followed by a shaking. Not of the building, but of the rickety, not-up-to-code fire escape. Caught off-guard, Melissa lost her balance and stumbled off the end of the outdoor stairwell, where there was no railing.

"**MELISSA!**"

"**AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH…**"

_Oh! This is where we came in! Okay, so now we watch as Isabella saves the day, the great Fireside Girl that she is!_

Thinking quickly, Isabella yanked an extension cord out of a generator that happened to be sitting there on the fire escape, and used it to lasso Melissa, snaring her and stopping her descent just moments before the pigtailed girl was to hit the hard pavement below.

"**HOLD ON, MELISSA!**"

With Holly's assistance, Isabella pulled Melissa all the way back up to the sixth floor. Once the six-year old was back on solid ground, so to speak, she leaned over and gave Isabella a hug.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down, Isabella!"

"It's what I do best! The not letting people down part, I mean."

* * *

><p>The girls reached the rooftop, with Melissa hopping up first. Once they were all up, they saw a big, hastily-assembled nest assembled in the center.<p>

"The eggs!" shouted Melissa.

She ran over and saw dozens of eggs in the nest. And not only were the ones from the Easter Egg hunt in there, but there were two egg cartons filled with fresh, unpainted eggs as well.

"But where's the condor?" asked Isabella aloud.

The two older girls glanced out in all directions from the roof, but they could not see the condor anywhere. Isabella shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh well. The important thing is that we got the eggs back! It may be getting a little too late to restart the hunt, but I'm sure there are some kids that still want some eggs."

Using the materials of the nest, they managed to make five baskets, which was enough to carry all the eggs out without having to make a second trip. Each with a basket in hand, Isabella and Holly opened the door leading to the stairs inside the building, opting to take the safer route down.

_Well, we got the eggs back, but I guess we'll never find out where the condor went. Or why it took the eggs to begin with._

Suddenly, Melissa heard what sounded like a woman shout from nearby…

"Curse you… Chihuahua!"

"Huh?" Melissa looked around. "A curse? Why?"

"Melissa!" Isabella shouted from the doorway. "Coming?"

Melissa turned towards Isabella and nodded. "Yes!"

_With that, we made our way back…_

* * *

><p>…<em>and were met by excited kids and relieved grown-ups.<em>

Upon returning, Isabella tasked the rest of her troop to evenly distribute the Easter eggs to all the young participants. They even took a few moments to doll up the unpainted eggs as well. That included Adyson, who returned triumphant with her new friend, the Easter Bunny, safe and sound.

Melissa was one of the last to get her Easter eggs, three of them in a fact, but she was happy nevertheless because everyone else was happy.

"Thank you, Isabella!"

Isabella smiled after giving her eggs. "You're welcome."

The troop leader then reached the last kid in line, a girl one year Melissa's junior. Unfortunately, Isabella only had two eggs left to give.

"I'm sorry. That's all I have left."

The five-year old took them, appearing to be glad to have gotten eggs at all, but the frown on her face showed she was sad she got one less egg than everyone else. Melissa looked at her and saw her try to fight back tears of sadness. The Lil' Spark then glanced down at her three eggs and started to feel a little bit selfish.

She walked over, took one of the eggs out of her basket, and placed it in the girl's basket. Immediately, the girl perked up.

"You're giving me your egg? Th-thank you!"

The kindergartner ran over to her mother to show her the egg Melissa had just given her. Melissa watched with a smile as the girl beamed with happiness.

"I recognize the paint scheme on the egg you gave her!" Isabella said in shock as she came up beside her 'little sister.' "That's the one with the golden token! You could've been kid mayor of Danville for a day!"

"But Isabella! Today isn't about winning the hunt. It's about everyone enjoying themselves and having fun!"

Isabella smiled, embracing Melissa in a hug. "I taught you well."

_So, even though a bird tried to ruin Easter, in the end Isabella and the Fireside Girls prevailed, getting back the eggs and saving Easter for all of us kids! I only hope that one day, when I'm a Fireside Girl, me and my troop will save our own holiday! Maybe we'll… we'll save Christmas?_

_Wait, Groundhog's Day. Gotta start somewhere, right?_

**End Entry**

**Next Week: **The girls' future together is in jeopardy when one of them learns she's assigned to a different junior high than the others, while another faces the prospect of moving out of state because of her mom's job. The march to graduation goes double time… on the next episode of "Fireside Diaries."


	58. School Board-ed

_Everyone knows that grade school doesn't last forever. But when it's time to move on…_

Party favors went off, sending small bunches of confetti flying everywhere. Some flew up in the direction of a banner that read 'Jr. High School Acceptance Party' - the 'Jr.' part was an add-on with an index card.

…_you hope you're doing so with your friends._

Below the banner, the members of Troop 46231 had envelopes in hand - well, those who were graduating in a couple months, anyway - and were preparing to open them.

"Okay, girls!" Isabella said to the group. "This is the moment we've all been waiting for! Time to open these babies up and find out which junior high schools we have to choose from!"

Those who were not participating in the festivities gathered around those who were.

"Milly!" Katie leaned over to whisper to her.

"What?" she softly asked back.

"Isn't this already all pre-determined by attendance area?

"Shhh! You're gonna jinx it!"

They all opened their envelopes simultaneously, pulling the one-page letter out from it.

"I'm going to Roger Doofenshmirtz Junior-Senior High!"

"Me too!"

"I'm in the Gifted and Talented Program… at the same school!"

"Me as well! Minus that fancy program stuff."

_But sometimes fate throws you an unexpected curveball…_

"Mine says… Otto H. Adjacent Jr. High?"

Everyone turned to the one girl assigned to a different middle school than the others.

Holly.

"We have a school named after Otto H. Adjacent?!" she cried out.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

So, I kinda went back on my word saying that this season only the core three - Isabella, Ginger, and Adyson - would be authoring entries. Melissa last week was a planned one-time exception; having Holly do it this week was not. But it works in the context of the story, and also succeeds in hiding the twist at the end.

You're excited to read now, aren't you?

**Disclaimer:** The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney and not me.

**-  
>Entry #588 [FSD506] - School Board-ed (04.21.14)<br>-**

_Entry #588 - Written by Holly_

_I couldn't believe I got assigned to a different junior high school! It's one thing to be on a different bus than everyone else, or in a different classroom. But an entirely different school?_

_Surely there's been some mistake._

"It's no mistake," said Gretchen, peeking out from behind one of the lodge's computer monitors.

"You're pulling my leg!" shouted Holly.

"No. No, I'm not. Here, look!"

Holly did, as well as everyone else. Well, as many people that could squeeze in around the computer to get a good look. Gretchen proceeded to explain how she got to her conclusion.

"Otto H. Adjacent, well, the school named after him, is currently in the final stages of construction. It'll be done in time for the start of the upcoming school year."

Gretchen moved the mouse, clicking on another tab, which displayed the attendance area for the new school, as well as those that were to be modified as a result, including Doofenshmirtz Junior's.

"Under the new maps, Holly's house lies in the area that will populate the new school. The rest of us, meanwhile, are still well in the Doofenshmirtz area."

"Told ya you'd jinx it!" Milly said to Katie, who was feeling guilty about her statement.

"No one jinxed anyone," Isabella stepped in. "This stuff happens, okay?"

"Wait!" Holly spoke up.

She had noticed something. The circles that represented the attendance zones for each of the schools did partially overlap in some places. And one of those spots included all of the houses on her street.

"I'm technically in the zones for **BOTH** schools! Why don't I get to choose which one to go to?"

"You're right!" Isabella said in confirmation, also spotting the overlap.

"I think I have a right to a choice! The fact that they're making me go to the newer school automatically is not right!"

Suddenly, the troop's lone British-born member put in her two cents.

"Not to be the Nancy of the Negative, but ye all know these changes were all voted upon and approved by ye School Board a year ago. The period for debate and sensible arguments has long passed."

"Easy for you to say, Elizabeth," Isabella countered. "You all live out near the fringes of the Greater Tri-State Area School District. There's only one junior high school and one senior high school out there. You girls don't have a choice."

"Perhaps. By my point is still be one of vast validity, dearies."

"Maybe. But we've gotta try. When there's a will, there's a way."

Isabella put an arm around Holly.

"Right?"

Holly nodded. "Right!"

Elizabeth sighed. "Well. If ye all feel that way, than allow me to provide an assist. I'm sure with my circle of acquaintances, surely I can find somebody who's close to one of the School Board members."

"Great! We'll work all the angles. Holly, we're going to get you into Doofenshmirtz Junior-Senior High. You can bet on it!"

Holly grinned from ear to ear.

_See, this is why I love being a Fireside Girl! Whenever you're in trouble, everyone always has your back. They'll do anything for you, and in return, you do anything for them, no questions asked._

* * *

><p><em>But even the power of long-lasting friendship has difficulty matching up against fate.<em>

It was Monday, and many of the other students in the girls' class at school appeared more than eager to announce where they were going next year.

"You got into RDJHS? So did I!"

"As did I!"

"I, too, will be at RDJHS!"

As Holly made her way to her seat, she passed numerous kids. All of them were proud to be going to Roger Doofenshmirtz Junior High next year. And it was not just classmates that she saw making their so-called announcements. It was close friends, too.

"Oh, boy!" Phineas exclaimed. "Roger Doofenshmirtz Junior High! There's no better place to further our education than at one named after the mayor of our fair city."

"Just 'cause it's an election year doesn't mean you have to schmooze," Ferb noted aloud.

"It's not schmoozing if he's running unopposed, bro."

"I cannot wait to see the state-of-the-art library they have!" proclaimed Baljeet, giddy.

"You would be into that, hippie," scolded Baljeet.

"I am starting to believe you do not know what that is."

"Yep."

Holly kept her head down as she completed the trek to her desk. She sighed with sadness, resting her chin on the palms of her hands.

"Don't worry!" Ginger reassured her. "You'll be fine! We'll figure out a way!"

"I know. But I can't help but worry about getting stuck with a ton of people I don't know!"

"You won't! I can feel it!"

"Well, I wish I could feel as confident as you, Ginger."

Ginger smiled in approval, but the second Holly looked away, she glanced down at her cell phone, where a text message from her mom was waiting to be read.

* * *

><p><em>At lunch, everyone else was just like Ginger, prepared to do whatever it took to help me.<em>

Sure enough, the entire group was doing their research, either reading up on Tri-State Area school system regulations or searching out information on the Internet, all during their lunch break. But Holly noticed that a couple members of the group appeared to be distracted.

"All of this talk about moving on has me thinking, Katie."

"It does, Milly? About what?"

"With everyone else moving on, you realize it'll just be the two of us here next year."

"You know, I just realized that!"

"What will we do? Do you think we'll be okay by ourselves?"

"Well, yeah. We're gonna be sixth graders next year! We'll be the big cats around these parts. Or however that saying goes."

"I see."

"But, say, Milly. Aren't there sixth graders that go to that school?"

Milly thought for a second. "I… I think so."

"Why don't we try to get in there early, as sixth graders? Then we'll all truly be together!"

"I believe there's an elementary school a block away from there that only goes to grade five. Those are the only sixth graders that are allowed to go to Doofenshmirtz Junior High."

_It's a noble idea, but unlike my situation, there was absolutely __**NO**__ wiggle room on that one. But if there was…_

"Holly?" Milly looked her way. "Are you… are you really that afraid of going to a different school, away from everyone else?"

"Well, yes. I'll feel completely out of the loop! All of you will get to see each other every day. Even you and Katie! But me… the only time I'll end up seeing any of you will be outside of school. To do Fireside Girl stuff. And maybe that sounds selfish of me… but I really don't think I'd be able to get through junior high all by myself."

Everyone stopped what they were doing upon hearing that and they glanced over at Holly.

"It's hard to admit it, but… I need you girls."

"Awww…" cooed some of the girls.

"And we need you just as much, Holly," Isabella admitted. "That's why we're doing this! We're all Fireside Girls, and we never leave anyone behind! We're going to get you into RDJHS, no matter what! Right, girls?"

"**RIGHT!**" the others agreed.

_That made me feel happy inside. I was glad everyone was supporting me on this._

_Everyone._

Suddenly, Isabella heard a buzzing noise. She pulled out her phone and saw that Elizabeth had sent her a text.

"Hey, girls! Elizabeth pulled through! She got in touch with someone who knows someone who knows another person who knows a different person who is friends with the Secretary of the School Board! According to her text, Elizabeth says there may be an exemption Holly can apply for. She'll give us details at the Board meeting tonight! She says it might be a long shot, but she was assured there's a good chance it might get approved!"

Holly's eyes lit up. "You mean…"

"We got Holly's foot in the door, girls! Now we just have to close the deal and get the rest of her in! Are you with me, girls?"

"**YES!**"

_Everything was supposed to be all hunky-dory, but for some reason, somebody was suddenly all quiet and unsupportive._

"Ahem. Ginger?"

Ginger's head snapped up. She had been looking at her phone.

"Huh? Oh, right… **YES!** **YOU'RE ALMOST THERE, HOLLY!**"

Satisfied with that response, Isabella turned the troop's attention to preparing a platform to make a great case for Holly to get the exception.

_I know Ginger wants me to keep being at the same school as her just as much as the rest of the gang. But obviously, she had someone else more important on her mind._

_And I'm not talking about Baljeet._

* * *

><p><em>Not that we'd know.<em>

_At least at the time, anyway._

There were only a couple dozen people at the School Board meeting. Almost everyone there was either a member of the Board or of Isabella's troop. The meeting was more than half an hour in by this point, though, and still one member of the latter group was still a no show.

_Yet it was someone important enough that it kept her away…_

"And?" Isabella asked Adyson.

"Same as the others," she replied, cocking her head towards both Gretchen and Katie. "She's not coming."

"She **DOES** realize how important this is to Holly, right? To all of us?"

With that, Isabella got up to give Ginger a call. Adyson retook her seat, next to Holly.

"Don't worry. Ginger or no Ginger, we've got this!"

Holly nodded. In spite of Ginger's absence, she felt confident that their efforts would still be successful. By this point of the meeting, though, even if Ginger had a change of heart, she would not be able to get here before its conclusion.

"With all of the scheduled items on the agenda resolved," the stuffy, high-class gentleman who was the current School Board President stated aloud, "we will now open the floor to anyone who has something they'd like to bring to the Board's attention."

The room went silent as they waited for someone… anyone… to approach the microphone standing in the middle of the room. A panic started to spread amongst the Fireside Girls, as no one was sure of what to do.

"Where's Isabella?"

"She stepped outside!"

"Well, someone needs to get up there."

"Sweetwater is second-in-command. Ye should be the one to speak in the chief's absence!"

"You know I'm not good with public speaking! You do it!"

"I'm sure Holly's chances would be greater if one who knows her well speaks."

"Holly, just go up!"

"What do I say? Let me go to school with you guys, and wait for a yes or no answer?"

"I don't hear anyone coming up with a better idea!"

Again, the President spoke up.

"If there is no one who wishes to speak, then we will move on to adjourn-"

"**WAIT!**"

All eyes turned to the entrance of the room, where Isabella was just closing the door after having just got off the phone. She appeared upset at first, but she took a deep breath and calmed herself, straightening her hair and flattening a slight curl in her skirt as she made her way up to the microphone. By the time she reached it, she was calm, composed, and ready to address the Board.

"Well, you have the floor, young lady."

"Thank you, sir!"

Isabella curtsied, and then began to address the School Board.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the School Board! My name is Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, and I've come here tonight to right a wrong that has been imposed on one of my dearest and closest friends."

Holly smiled.

"As you are well aware, this is the time of year that kids my age are finding out what choices they have as to what junior high school they will attend. Or, rather, choice as in singular, because most of us are bound to one school due to attendance zones, established by the School Board every few years to ensure the proper use of school facilities and to alleviate overcrowding. The latter is part of the reasoning of why me… and my troop…"

The other girls waved from their seats.

"…are here. You see, there will be a new junior high school that opens this fall: Otto H. Adjacent. And because of that, the attendance zones had to be modified so that the new school has students to select from…"

The Board President coughed, interrupting Isabella.

"Young lady, all you are doing is stating facts. Facts that not only we already know, but we ourselves established! Some of us have other places to be tonight."

He then mumbled, in addition.

"Like tend to my night garden."

Isabella did not take kindly to the older man's rudeness, but she knew this was not the time or place to take offense.

"Get to the point, post-haste."

"Yes, sir."

_And Isabella's non-reaction is exactly why she is the leader of the troop. Some of us would have blown up at the President for being impolite. But Isabella always knows the proper reaction for any situation._

Isabella gave the signal, and Gretchen and Adyson brought up an easel and a large poster board, respectively. They quickly set up the display next to their leader and then retook their seats. Glued to the board was a map of the city of Danville, blown up to three times its size for easier viewing.

"You see, sir, all of my friends attend Danville Elementary. We're also all part of the same Fireside Girl troop. We love spending time together; we're all very, very good friends. Naturally, we'd like to continue all going to the same school. My friend, Holly, is in the attendance area for Otto H. Adjacent Junior High."

She pointed out that fact on the map, in the form of a star sticker which represented the location of Holly's house.

"**BUT…** she is also in the attendance area for Roger Doofenshmirtz Junior-Senior High."

She drew attention to the circles, and the fact that Holly's house was in a small section where they overlapped.

"Now, the rest of the girls and I are firmly in the attendance zone for Doofenshmirtz; that's not up for debate. But given Holly's address, she **SHOULD** have been given a choice between the two schools."

Isabella paused for a second, and then continued.

"She wasn't."

Milly and Katie gasped loudly, putting extra, albeit unneeded, emphasis on that fact.

"She was only given one choice: Otto H. Adjacent. The girls and I are here to petition, on Holly's behalf, for an exemption. One on the grounds that she was rightfully denied the opportunity to choose, and therefore by Tri-State Area School Board regulation 32-09-02.2a, you must allow her to have that option of selecting which junior high she wants to attend for the next two years. In short, sir… we all want to go to Doofenshmirtz. You wouldn't break up a dynamic group of friends like ours, would you? It's in our best interests, as well as yours, that you allow Holly to attend the same school as her friends, instead of being in a school 20 minutes away, where she doesn't know anyone and would have to spend a good portion of seventh grade making new friends. Us preteens have enough to worry about as we move on to the next stage of our life. Why would you make it more difficult for one of my friends when she doesn't have to be put in this situation?

"So, please… would you please make an exception? For Holly?"

With that, Isabella stepped back from the microphone.

_I knew Isabella nailed that speech! The tone of her voice, her compassion, her ability to tug at her audience's heart strings? Surely, there was no way our - well, technically my - request would be denied._

The five members that made up the officers on the School Board had a brief discussion.

"We should allow it," one of the two women said. "they're Fireside Girls. All model citizens. There's no issue with granting this particular exception."

She looked out at the crowd, specifically Elizabeth, and gave her a wink. Elizabeth gave her an approving nod back.

"Looks like Elizabeth pulled through," Gretchen said to Holly, seeing the gesture exchange.

"I, too, see no reason to say no," declared one of the men. "I also vote yay."

_So far, so good…_

"We had numerous discussion on this topic last year," the President reminded them, "and we got a ton of input as to what the borders of the various school attendance zones should be. Also, despite the overlap of zones, schools are in their right to claim all prospective students in a certain neighborhood or on a particular street for their own. And choice is only given to one who is claimed by more than one school. By that reasoning, I vote nay on allowing the exception."

He was very firm on his stance. So were the remaining two officers, who shook their heads, signifying nay votes from them as well.

"By a vote of three to two, motion has been denied."

He banged his gavel, making it official. The girls were in total shock.

And some of them still were the next day at school.

"I feel so bad for Holly," Adyson said, in sadness. "After all that… she's going to have to go to a different school than the rest of us. Poor Holly."

Isabella sighed. "It'll be tough, but I'm sure she can manage it."

Gretchen tapped Isabella on the shoulder, seeing Holly… running up to them excitedly, with a smile on her face?

"Girls! **GIRLS! I'M GOING TO DOOFENSHMIRTZ!**"

"**WHAT?**"

"F-F-Funny story… the Holly in the letter I got last Friday is for a different Holly. At another address in another part of Danville. I found out one had came in the mail yesterday when I got home after that debacle last night."

"So you have a choice?"

"Mm-hmm! And I'm going to Doofenshmirtz with you girls!"

They all squealed with happiness.

_Like I said at the beginning, fate likes to throw those wild curveballs! Despite what appeared to be a wasted three days of a journey, it turned out that we were all going to be together in the end after all._

They jumped back and forth in celebration… perhaps a bit too much, as they bounced into Ginger, who had her head down and certainly was not expecting to be bumped. Not by her friends, much less.

"Ginger?" Holly quickly bowed her head, apologizing. "Sorry! Sorry!"

"Did you hear the good news?" Gretchen proclaimed. "Holly's going to the same school as us after all!"

"Really?" Ginger responded, albeit unenthusiastically. "Yeah. Great."

"So," Isabella spoke up, "care to explain why you decided not to come support Holly at the School Board meeting last night?"

Ginger was unwilling to answer that question.

"Why the long face? You should be happy. We're **ALL** going to Doofenshmirtz next fall!"

Unable to keep it in, Ginger spurted out what she was hiding.

"Mom! She… she got a new job!"

At first, the girls were stunned. And then cheerful for her.

"Th-that's great, Ginger…"

"**NO, IT'S NOT!**"

Now they were confused.

"The day after graduation…"

She tried to hold back tears as she finished her sentence.

**…WE'RE MOVING OUT OF THE TRI-STATE AREA!**"

**End Entry**

**Next Week:** Phineas and Isabella have been hanging out a lot, but they haven't taken the next step and officially declared themselves boyfriend and girlfriend. Ferb and Adyson have a plan to change that. Or, rather, several plans. Romantic hyjinks are aplenty in the next episode of the "Fireside Diaries."


	59. Ship

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Adyson was over at Isabella's house. The two were having a friendly conversation about everything that had gone on the past few weeks.

"As much as I'm looking forward to all that awaits us in junior high," Isabella thought aloud, "I'm just trying to survive the sixth grade."

"Hey!" objected Adyson. "I have more to worry about grades-wise than you, Little Miss Straight As!"

"You're making it sound like it's tons easier for me to get them than you! Well, it's not!"

_Talking about grades? Yawn…_

Fast forward a little in the conversation…

"What are we gonna do about Ginger?" queried Adyson.

"It's not like Holly's sitch," replied Isabella. "Sure, her mom is my pediatrician, but a successful one at that, and she's so good she could choose to work anywhere in the world if given the…"

_We'll have plenty of time to cover Ginger's problem. Next!_

Fast forward a bit more…

"I'm with your mom, Addy. Perhaps we should finally get our first train-"

_TMI, __**TMI!**__ Skip, __**SKIP!**_

Even more forward…

"So, yesterday, at lunch… Phineas gave me his pudding!"

_**FINALLY!**__ What everyone wants to read about!_

"He did?"

"He did!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"**SQUEEEEEEE!**" they both squealed in unison.

_Be thankful this is not an audio diary, because if it was, we probably just broke your eardrums._

"So," Adyson hinted, "given how close the two of you have gotten… have you done it?

"Done it? What is **IT**, Adyson?"

"You know! Kissed!"

Isabella gasped. "No!"

"No? What do you mean no? Why not?"

"Well. We… we don't want to rush things."

"But you've had dreams about kissing Phineas for who knows how long! So many that you've told us about all of them! There's even a couple you've only told me about! So how…"

"After the dance, I learned that real life is different than fantasy. Sometimes, Addy, rushing in turns out to be anything but practical. Or sane."

Isabella stood up and headed out of the room.

"Going down to get a drink. Want anything?"

"Uh… lemonade, please?"

Isabella nodded, and Adyson heard her make her way downstairs. Adyson sat there and waited, thinking about what Isabella had just said.

Well, some of it…

_They've been 'official' for more than two months yet. But they haven't kissed yet, so they're unofficial. Or, wait… is there such a thing as being unofficially 'officially' dating?_

_No. There can't be._

_I know what I must do this weekend._

_I __**MUST**__ get Isabella and Phineas to have their first kiss!_

Isabella returned with a glass of ice cold lemonade in each hand… and saw Adyson standing in the front her mirror; she had a smirk on her face and her fists were clenched in determination.

"Did… did I miss something?"

"Oh, nothing. Just got a **GREAT** idea for an entry. Heh…"

* * *

><p>"<strong>Fireside Diaries"<br>Story Written by Freedom Fighter**

Welcome to the most 'pandering to the largest part of the fandom' entry ever! (Or is it the least?) And who better than my favorite Fireside Girl, Adyson, to make it happen! Had fun writing this one… hopefully you'll have just as much fun reading it!

This entry inspired by Tyrannotitan (hulitherium on Twitter). Thank him for the craziness about to ensue.

(Also, I've decided to stop putting in prerequisite notices because, at this point, most people who are reading this will get all the callback to previous entries without me having to say they're references or whatever.)

**Disclaimer: **The characters of 'Phineas and Ferb' belong to Disney and not me.

**-  
>Entry #597 [FSD507] - Ship (04.28.14)<br>-**

_Entry #597 - Written by Adyson Sweetwater_

_Operation: Phinabella First Kiss is a __**GO**__! Like the portmanteau? I got it off of the Internet!_

_First order of business? Get some accomplices! Because, despite my many, many talents, handling romantic entanglements isn't one of them. As my past might suggest… but we won't get into that, okay?_

It was lunch at school on Thursday, and Phineas and Isabella were having a private meal together. Well, as private as you can be in a cafeteria. But their friends had agreed to sit elsewhere and give them room.

_Just look at them! They want to kiss? See their eyes? **THEY WANT TO KISS!**_

_Ahem…_

_Accomplices. Right._

Adyson had her tray in hand, looking for somewhere to sit in the nearly-filled cafeteria. She then spotted one of the other girls waving at her.

_And I think I just found my first one._

She made her way over to Gretchen, who moved the milk carton she had used to hold the seat with so that Adyson could sit down.

"Thanks!"

"You're welcome!"

The two ate silently for a minute, taking time to start filling their stomachs. It also gave Adyson a moment to decide how to pop the question.

"So, Gretchen, can I ask you for a favor?"

"But, Adyson, you know I can tutor you in social studies for free. It's called the 'great friends' rate. Remember?"

"This isn't about me. Although I do appreciate it, thanks. But, no… look!"

Adyson pointed over towards Phineas and Isabella, who were alternating between eating their lunch and staring into each other's eyes.

"It's Phineas and the Chief. And?"

"Did you know that, despite admitting their feelings for each other back on Valentine's Day, they haven't kissed? Once?"

"They haven't?"

"I know, right?"

"That kinda surprises me. The Chief's been looking forward to that kiss for years now."

"Well, what do you say we help Isabella along? Help her out."

Gretchen was apprehensive. "I don't know…"

"But Gretchen, look at her face! She wants that kiss."

Gretchen obliged, glancing over at Isabella. She had a dreamy look on her face.

"I guess. But we know the Chief likes Phineas. Phineas finally knows he likes the Chief. They'll get to it. Eventually."

"Eventually? **EVENTUALLY?** Gretchen, if they don't act quickly, they'll start to lose interest! And if they lose interest, one or both of them will call it off! And then where will they be? In six months, Isabella could be dating Ferb. **FERB**, Gretchen!"

Gretchen opened her milk carton, took a sip from it, and politely waited to swallow it before responding.

"You're overreacting."

"Overreacting? **OVERREACTING?**"

Not wanting to upset Adyson, Gretchen retracted a little.

"Well… a tiny, tiny bit."

"But…"

"Adyson. I want them to kiss too. But it happens when it happens. If we try to force it, we would be meddling in their relationship. And best friends don't meddle in each other's relationships."

"But I don't think it's meddling…"

"It's meddling."

Adyson huffed.

_Well, so much for my first choice. Gretchen, you're so idealistic and too coddling. Isabella needs us to meddle. She __**NEEDS**__ us to._

* * *

><p><em>Maybe Ginger will be more sympathetic to my cause. After all, she also is dating someone as well.<em>

Adyson walked up the stairs after being let in, but upon reaching her destination, it became clear that she had not gone to look for Ginger at her own house.

She had gone to Baljeet's.

And, sure enough, there she was, helping him with his science fair project.

_I also happened to be dating that same someone… at one point in my life…_

Ginger came out of her visual ogling of Baljeet - hard at work on surely another award-winning invention - to notice that Adyson was standing in the doorway. Seeing her, Ginger ushered Adyson back into the hallway and hastily shoved a napkin with writing on it in the former girl's face.

"We have a contract! You agreed to never, ever, **EVER** step in Baljeet's room without someone else present! Unless the other person is **ME**! In which case, never, ever, **EVER EVER!**"

_Did I forget to mention that I, Baljeet, and Ginger have never been in the same room - just the three of us - since a certain 'night of choosing?'_

_Looking back, I suddenly realized why that was._

"Ginger. You **DO** realize that's a napkin. Right?"

"I can't carry the contract with me all the time, and besides, this is still legally binding!"

"Calm down. I'm not here to see Baljeet. I'm here to see you."

Ginger calmed down, lowering the napkin. "Oh."

"But…" Adyson said, with hesitance, "it's about Baljeet…"

Ginger started seething. "I know how to use a bo, and although I'm not supposed to use it on people, I **WILL** if I have to!"

"It's about you and Baljeet and Isabella and Phineas," Adyson said hurriedly, in order to avoid a physical confrontation she would surely lose.

Ginger blinked. "Ohhhh. In that case…"

She put the napkin away and then motioned for Adyson to go on.

"Well, as you know, Phineas and Isabella are dating now. Which makes them official. Only they haven't kissed yet. Which makes them unofficial. In turn, that makes them unofficial official, and we need to change that to official official. So…"

"So?"

"What I was thinking… you know, since you and Baljeet have kissed.."

Ginger hastily covered Adyson's mouth before she could get the entire word out. Adyson pulled her hand down.

"What was that for? I wanted to get advice from you since you and Baljeet have kiss-"

Ginger broke free of Adyson's grip and covered the latter's mouth again. And, once more, Adyson broke free. This time, though, she realized why Ginger kept trying to shush her.

"You mean you never…"

Ginger went to cover for a third time, but this time Adyson stopped her before she could get there.

"Okay, I won't say that word. But still! I thought you would have already!"

"It's kinda hard! You just don't want to do it! You wanna wait for the right moment. Say… why are you asking me? You've… you know… him, right?"

Adyson was taken aback. "What? **NO!** Would I be asking you for advice on… this… if I had?"

"Um. Well…"

Baljeet politely interrupted. "Pardon me, girls, but I cannot help but overhear you two talking about… me?"

"Slow down, Romeo!" they both shouted at him.

Scared by them yelling at him, Baljeet eeped and went back into his room, sheepishly closing the door as he did. Seeing this, Ginger scoffed.

"See what you did, Adyson? Now I have to console him… and that'll take hours."

"Sorry," Adyson apologized. "I… I'll just be going now…"

With that, Adyson went back down the stairs as Ginger knocked on Baljeet's door, trying to convince him to let her back in.

_And there goes choice number two. Despite our past differences, I was sure she'd push them aside for Izzy. But I guess not._

* * *

><p><em>I tried asking the other girls…<em>

Adyson was seen asking Holly, Milly, and Katie for help. But they all shook their heads, declining.

_They, too, believed we shouldn't be pushing them too fast._

"Once they have that first kiss," they all told Adyson, "everything changes."

_Fine, fine! But where does Milly get off telling me that? She **JUST** stopped being freaked out about puberty a couple weeks ago._

* * *

><p><em>But with none of the girls willing to help, and me not willing to take a chance at making Isabella's dreams come true by myself, I guess I have to abandon my plan.<em>

_And this is entry is, well, over._

_Adyson out!_

Adyson sighed as she sat alone at lunch the next day. Again, Phineas and Isabella were eating lunch together, alone - relatively - and Adyson was watching them from a few tables away. Suddenly, she was joined by a familiar face.

Phineas' stepbrother, Ferb.

"Hey Ferb."

Ferb waved hello to Adyson after sitting down, and then proceeded to eat his lunch. As he chewed silently, he too saw Phineas and Isabella's private - again, relatively - lunch. And Adyson noticed his extended stare.

"Feels weird not eating with Phineas, huh?"

Ferb blinked his eyes.

"You never saw me shoo everyone away when I wanted to have a private lunch with Baljeet. Not that we had all that many lunches together, with our busy schedules and all."

Ferb turned to Adyson and stared at her for a few seconds. He then went back to watching the romantic pair.

"You think with all of their 'private time,' they would've already kissed. But noooo…"

Ferb had no reaction. Suddenly, Adyson's head shot up.

"Wait! Ferb! You… you would've seen if they had kissed at any point when Isabella was over, right?"

Ferb remained nonchalant.

"Yeah," Adyson said in disappointment. "You would've said so if that were the case. 'Cause you like seeing them together as much as the rest of us do."

The two of them went back to eating and watching, neither saying anything for a couple minutes.

_Wait, wait! Adyson not out! Adyson has an idea! __**ADYSON HAS AN IDEA!**_

"Hey Ferb? You think Phineas and Isabella should kiss, right? Well, you wanna make that possible, yes?"

Ferb was chewing on part of his sandwich, concentrating on trying to swallow it rather than answer. And yet…

"I've got a genius plan! Will you help?"

Ferb continued to chew…

"**GREAT!** I've got some calls to make…"

Adyson got out of her seat and ran to do just that. Ferb swallowed and opened his mouth to say something… only Adyson was already gone…

_**YES!**__ Operation: Phinabella First Kiss is back on!_

* * *

><p>Early the next morning - just after sunrise, to be exact - Adyson had finished all of her preparations and was now getting dressed. The main part of her plan involved a lot of stealth, so she had put on military fatigues… ones which were exactly her size, strangely enough. She was standing in front of her mirror, putting the finishing touches on her camouflage face paint.<p>

"Wait, wait, wait!" she exclaimed, shaking her head as she stopped what she was doing. "I'm overdoing this, aren't I?"

* * *

><p>One face wash and a change into casual clothes later…<p>

"Ah! Much better!"

* * *

><p><em>Everything was all set! All I had to do was get the players in place.<em>

A few minutes later, Adyson was sneaking around near Isabella's house, rolling and crawling where necessary to avoid being seen. Eventually, she reached her target: Isabella's mailbox.

_Sure, Izzy goes over to Phineas' house every day on her own. But why wait 'til then? This isn't the only thing I have to do today._

Adyson opened the mailbox, threw something in, closed it, raised the flag, and sprinted back to safe cover, all in an instant. Or at least, that was what it felt like to her. In a position where Isabella could not see her, Adyson then turned to look across the street. She saw Ferb looking out his bedroom window at that very moment. She gave him a thumbs up.

Adyson then made her way across the street, getting cover behind the Flynn-Fletcher station wagon. She quickly pulled out her 'to do' list and checked off the first item. The list read as follows: drop card, watch Isabella run, 'bunch of question marks,' profit - which was crossed out and had written next to it as a replacement the words 'together 4eva,' Fireside Girls meeting, tennis, TV show petition, buy milk, and type diary entry.

Suddenly, Adyson heard a voice from across the street.

"Be back in a bit, Mom!"

The brunette peeked around the side of the car to see Isabella close her front door, and then make her way down the driveway. Naturally, seeing the flag on the mailbox up, Isabella went to it and curiously checked what was inside.

A few seconds later, Isabella squealed with glee after pulling out and reading a card from 'Phineas.'

_Nothing like a card handwritten from 'your true love' to send you running across the street to see him and give him a kiss. Right?_

Sure enough, Isabella bolted across the street faster than a cheetah running down a gazelle. Adyson moved around to the far side of the car to avoid being seen. She squatted down there and listened as Isabella rang the doorbell. Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher promptly answered it.

"Oh, hi, Isabella! The boys are in the back. Waffles will be ready in ten, if you'd like."

Adyson did not hear if Isabella responded to that offer, as she had already stepped in and the door was closed behind her. She moved towards the back of the driveway, near the opening in the fence where the backyard could be accessed from outside the house. She thought about peeking over, but then thought twice about it and instead squatted down at the opening, occasionally glancing around it. Phineas was already outside, working on some blueprints.

_Any moment now…_

Isabella emerged from the house a few seconds later. She waited until she was right next to Phineas before pulling out the card, which she had managed to keep hidden from his mom and anyone else she may have passed by on her way through.

_There we go!_

At that moment, Ferb came up, walking up the driveway after exiting the front door of the house. He squatted down next to Adyson. She did not acknowledge him, but could hear him breathing next to her. She kept on watching Phineas and Isabella. The latter was giddy as she explained her feelings about it to her boyfriend, but they were just far enough away that neither Adyson nor Ferb could make out any of her words.

"Come on, Phineas!" Adyson mumbled. "React!"

Finally, Phineas did, shrugging his shoulders. He said a few words, and then Isabella hugged him. Adyson snapped her fingers.

_Curses._

And then Isabella puckered her lips, going in for a kiss.

_I take it back… no curses! No curses!_

Phineas did not do the same, yet he decided against pulling away. Isabella tilted her head, preparing to duck underneath Phineas' triangle-shaped face…

_Almost. Almost! __**ALLLLLMOST…**_

"**WHAT ARE YOU BRATS UP TO THIS TIME?**"

Adyson screamed in fright, jumping out of her hiding place. She turned around and saw Candace standing there, with her hands on her hips, already in a busting mood.

"Can't talk, huh?" she said after Adyson refused to answer.

Candace then turned to Phineas and Isabella, who were now a comfortable arm's length away from each other.

"Phineas? What are **YOU** up to?"

"Nothing!" he answered, before backtracking. "Well, for now, anyway. Still haven't decided."

"Well, when you decide, tell me! So I can bust you! Bust, bust, bust!"

With that, Candace marched off, to occupy herself until she had something to bust her brothers for. With her gone, Phineas and Isabella looked at Adyson, who sheepishly approached them after getting caught. Ferb was right behind her, even though the couple had not known he was there until he stepped out.

"Adyson!" Isabella did not seem pleased. "What were you up to?"

Adyson rubbed the back of her head, trying to decide how to explain. She did not have to, though, because Isabella had already figured it out.

"I know this is **YOUR** handwriting. Not Phineas'."

Adyson winced, and then sighed in defeat. "Okay. You got me."

Phineas spoke up, and to Adyson's surprise, he was very upset.

"**ADYSON!** Isabella told me the other day you might try something like this, but… but… I didn't think you'd actually **DO** it! Forcing two people into their first kiss. That's… that's… that's so wrong! I know it took me awhile to realize my love for Isabella, but that doesn't mean I'll take just as long before kissing her for the first time. That being said, you have no right to dictate when that time is! You're one of Isabella's best friends. And mine too. I, no, **WE** are so disappointed in you, Adyson."

Adyson lowered her head in shame. She had no response to that.

_Very few people, if any, have ever gotten Phineas that mad. So hearing him lecture me on how wrong I was… I… I…_

…_nearly broke down right there and then._

"I think you should leave," Isabella said, sternly. "Before one of us says something we can't take back."

Adyson obliged, quickly turning and leaving the backyard, not even giving Ferb a passing glance as she sprinted past him. She was about halfway down the driveway when she stopped, having come to a mental crossroad.

_I still was ready to cry, but before I could, another thought crossed my mind. Isabella and Phineas and everyone else were right. I should've never tried to force the two of them into their first kiss._

_I… I needed to go back and apologize right there and then. If not for anything more than to show that I understood how wrong I was and that I should own up to it. Even if it meant getting lectured even more._

Adyson ran back, and her jaw dropped when she stepped foot on the yard once more.

_And then I saw…_

_..._

_..._

**End Entry**

**Next Episode: **Part of the troop works to try and help convince Ginger's mom not to move the Hirano family away; the other half is working on a tribute float to the Mayflower. But both efforts might be sunk when a certain revelation … nope, not telling you 'til the next "Fireside Diaries."


End file.
